Kano State has recorded 875,593 children currently out of school, according to the newly released Kano State Out-of-School Children Survey Report 2026.
The figure covers all 44 local government areas of the state and represents a reduction of 113,641 children, or 11.5 per cent, from the 989,234 out-of-school children recorded in 2023 UNICEF data.
The 2026 survey report was disseminated on Wednesday at the COVID-19 Hall of the Kano State Ministry of Education during a gathering attended by government officials, development partners, donor organisations, civil society groups, traditional and community leaders, school administrators and other education stakeholders.
Presenting the report, the Commissioner for Education, Kano State, Gwani Dr Ali Haruna Abubakar Makoda, described the reduction as an encouraging indication that sustained interventions and investments in the education sector were producing measurable results.
He, however, cautioned that the number of children still excluded from formal education remained significant and required renewed and coordinated interventions across the state.
Survey provides new data for education planning
Makoda explained that the latest figure differed from some earlier estimates because the 2026 exercise was based on a statewide survey that generated verified and disaggregated information by local government area, age and gender.
He said the new data would provide a more credible basis for evidence-based education planning, policy formulation, resource allocation and the development of targeted interventions for children who remain outside the formal education system.
According to him, reliable data would enable the government and its partners to identify areas with the greatest concentration of out-of-school children and design interventions that respond more directly to the circumstances of affected communities.
The Commissioner attributed part of the progress recorded to sustained government investment in education under the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Among the interventions highlighted were the expansion, rehabilitation and construction of schools and classrooms, provision of teaching and learning materials, distribution of free uniforms and enrolment campaigns.
He also identified improvements in education data and information management systems as well as collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners as contributing factors in efforts to address the challenge.
Government seeks stronger stakeholder involvement
Despite the reported reduction, Makoda said the remaining 875,593 out-of-school children demonstrated that considerably more work was required to ensure wider access to education across Kano State.
“With accurate data, sustained investment, strong partnerships and political will, the challenge can be significantly reduced,” the Commissioner said.
He formally presented the 2026 survey report and urged stakeholders to use its findings to develop practical and sustainable solutions tailored to the specific educational needs of individual communities and local government areas.
Makoda also reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to using reliable data and evidence to guide educational planning, monitoring and resource allocation.
Parents, traditional leaders urged to support enrolment
The Commissioner called on parents, traditional and religious leaders, community leaders, development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to intensify their support for efforts to bring more children into school.
He urged families to enrol their children and ensure that they remain in school, while encouraging community leaders and development organisations to support interventions aimed at addressing barriers to enrolment and retention.
The dissemination of the Kano State Out-of-School Children Survey Report 2026 marks an important step towards obtaining a clearer picture of the scale and distribution of the education access challenge in the state.
The verified data is expected to support more targeted interventions and strengthen collaboration among government and non-governmental actors working to improve school access and retention.
With 875,593 children still outside school, the latest survey also underscores the scale of the task facing Kano’s education authorities, even as the reported 11.5 per cent reduction from the 2023 figure points to progress in efforts to reverse the trend.
