From Salim Umar Ibrahim, Kano
The Federal Government has launched an enrolment drive targeting no fewer than 10,000 out-of-school children across the Northwest, beginning with primary schools in Kano, as part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope education agenda.
Speaking on the first day of school resumption at Kawaji Primary School in Kano, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement for the Northwest, Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai, said the initiative focuses on children who had dropped out of school, commonly referred to as Almajiri.
According to him, 200 children were identified in the Kawaji neighbourhood during the school break and have now been enrolled. He added that the children were provided with uniforms, school bags, and exercise books to support their return to school.
Beyond student enrolment, the initiative also addressed teachers’ needs. Yakasai disclosed that teachers in the selected schools received teaching materials, including notebooks, chalk, and cardboard papers, to enhance effective classroom instruction.
He explained that the programme is part of a broader plan to cover all districts in Kano, with three schools expected to benefit in each district in the next academic term.
Yakasai reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to enrolling at least 10,000 out-of-school children across the Northwest before the end of President Tinubu’s administration.
He also drew attention to the poor state of school infrastructure in the region, noting that engineers had assessed several dilapidated buildings and prepared bills of quantity for their renovation.
“Many public schools are in urgent need of repair. We intend to present these findings to the Presidency to ensure the schools are restored to standard,” he said.