The Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, says it has delivered nearly 4,000 classrooms across Kano State as part of efforts to improve access to quality basic education and support the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Aisha Garba, disclosed this during an inspection of UBEC-supported education projects in Kano alongside the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Garba also witnessed the presentation of appointment letters to newly recruited teachers by the Kano State Government, describing the exercise as one of the country’s most significant investments in education.
She said the classrooms, constructed through UBEC interventions, are providing safer and more conducive learning environments while creating greater opportunities for children to enrol, remain in school and complete their basic education.
According to her, expanding access to education requires not only improved infrastructure but also a sufficient number of qualified teachers.
“While classrooms provide better places to learn, teachers remain the foundation of meaningful learning outcomes,” she said.
Garba revealed that the Kano State Government has recruited more than 16,000 teachers under the current administration, including the latest batch of newly employed teachers, noting that the exercise is helping to address teacher shortages, particularly in underserved communities.
She said the recruitment aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive that no Nigerian child should be denied access to quality education.
“The directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is clear. No child should be left behind. Every Nigerian child deserves access to quality education. Even where classrooms exist, without teachers, children cannot learn. That is why investments in teachers are investments in the future of our nation,” Garba said.
She described the appointment letters presented to the new teachers as symbols of renewed hope for schools, communities and thousands of pupils who depend on quality teaching.
Garba also noted that UNESCO estimates more than 44 million additional teachers are needed globally to bridge existing shortages, adding that Kano’s sustained investment in teacher recruitment positions the state among governments addressing one of education’s biggest challenges.
She commended Governor Yusuf for prioritising education and reaffirmed UBEC’s commitment to working with state governments to improve access to inclusive and quality basic education through investments in infrastructure, teacher development and learner-centred interventions.
Garba also praised the leadership of the Minister of Education and the Minister of State for Education for driving reforms aimed at improving learning outcomes nationwide.
Earlier, Chairman of the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Malam Yusuf Kabir, said the recruitment followed a transparent and merit-based process designed to employ only qualified and competent teachers.
He explained that the exercise was guided by the Kano State Teacher Policy, which introduced aptitude tests and other assessment procedures to improve teacher quality.
Kabir stressed that recruitment alone would not transform the education sector without proper deployment, supervision, mentoring and continuous evaluation of teachers.
He assured that the newly recruited teachers would be posted to schools where they are most needed while education authorities maintain monitoring systems to improve teaching quality and learning outcomes.
He also called on communities, development partners, corporate organisations and traditional institutions to support government efforts, saying sustainable improvements in basic education require collective responsibility.
