Only 9.6% of primary pupils in Kano state have proficiency in reading – UNICEF 

This was disclosed by UNICEF’s Chief of Kano Field Office, Mr. Rahama Mohammed, during a news conference held to mark the 2025 International Day for Education on Friday in Kano.

According to Mr. Mohammed, the state is facing a significant educational challenge, with nearly one million children out of school.

“UNICEF is deeply concerned about the state of education in Kano. The statistics are alarming, and urgent measures are needed to address the growing education crisis,” Mohammed stated. 

The latest data from the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) shows that 989,234 children of primary school age, or roughly 32 per cent of the population, are currently not enrolled in formal education in Kano.

In response to the ongoing educational challenges, UNICEF has been actively supporting reforms in the state, particularly through integrating Quranic schools into the formal education system.

This initiative aims to ensure that children attending Quranic schools receive basic education alongside their religious studies.

“UNICEF has helped develop an integrated curriculum and provided training to over 290 Mallams and proprietors of Quranic schools across Kano and Jigawa states,” Mohammed explained.  

“These efforts are crucial to ensuring that children attending these schools are not left behind in terms of formal education,” he stated 

Mr. Mohammed shared that these initiatives have had a positive impact on the well-being and retention of students.

“UNICEF’s intervention has benefited 39,432 children, including 19,810 boys and 19,622 girls, through the construction and rehabilitation of WASH facilities in 33 schools across Kano and Jigawa states. These improved facilities have made a significant contribution to the retention of students in these schools,” he said 

In addition to improving infrastructure, UNICEF has been working to enhance the quality of education in Kano State. The organization has provided professional development programs for teachers and supplied educational materials to schools.

“UNICEF has enhanced the skills of 1,109 teachers through programs covering Reading and Numeracy Activities (RANA), Early Childhood Development, and HASKE for non-formal Quranic schools,” Mohammed noted.  

Furthermore, Mohammed stated that UNICEF has supplied 630,249 teaching and learning materials to support Early Childhood Education and primary education across the state.

UNICEF also expressed gratitude to its partners for their continued support in improving education in Kano and other northern states.

The European Union has collaborated with UNICEF on the Education and Youth Empowerment (EYE) Programme, which spans Kano, Jigawa, and Sokoto states.

The European Union has collaborated with UNICEF on the Education and Youth Empowerment (EYE) Programme, which spans Kano, Jigawa, and Sokoto states.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has also partnered with UNICEF on the CRIBS project in Kano and Jigawa.

Mr. Mohammed reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to supporting state governments’ initiatives aimed at improving the education sector to achieve better basic education outcomes.