The Kano State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ali Haruna Makoda, has disclosed that the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has successfully renovated over 1,200 schools across the state’s 44 local government areas.
Speaking on Monday at a one-day Quality Assurance Workshop held at the Community Education Resource Committee (CERC) conference hall, Dr. Makoda also revealed that the state government approved the involvement of councillors from all 484 political wards in the renovation of additional schools, with a dedicated fund of N484 million, a move he described as unprecedented in Kano’s history.
“Since the inception of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration, more than 1,200 schools have been renovated throughout the 44 LGAs.
“In addition, we have engaged our elected ward councillors to oversee renovation work in 484 schools, with ₦484 million allocated for the project,” he said.
Dr. Makoda emphasized that the declaration of a state of emergency on education in May 2024 underscores Governor Yusuf’s strong commitment to reviving the education sector and restoring its past glory.
He also recalled that at a recent State Executive Council meeting, the government approved ₦3 billion for the renovation of 13 girls’ boarding schools that had been shut down by the previous administration.
Despite Kano having the highest number of schools in Nigeria, over 30,000, Makoda noted that the Governor remains committed to ensuring quality education is accessible in every corner of the state.
The commissioner described the workshop as timely, given the state government’s drive to fully implement free and compulsory basic and secondary education.
He stressed the critical role of trained quality assurance personnel in achieving meaningful educational outcomes.
“Without well-trained quality assurance officers, improved enrollment, infrastructure, and teacher recruitment may not lead to the desired learning achievements.
This workshop is meant to equip our officers, directors, and school heads with the tools and knowledge to effectively monitor, evaluate, and report on teaching and learning activities,” he said.
Dr. Makoda added that a robust quality assurance system will help the ministry identify gaps, recommend improvements, and uphold accountability, describing the workshop as an intervention aimed at promoting educational excellence and equity in schools.
He urged participants to be fully engaged and committed to transferring the knowledge and skills gained to their respective zones and schools.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Bashir Baffa Muhammed, announced that participants were drawn from various education agencies under the ministry, including key stakeholders and chief executives.
The workshop featured three presentations: An Overview of Quality Assurance by Professor Ahmed Ilyasu of Bayero University, Kano; Evaluation Schedule and Thematic Areas by Bashir Sule; and Report Writing by Ibrahim Yahaya.
Credit: Balarabe Abdullahi Kiru
