The federal government has lauded the Kano government for allocating 32 per cent of its budget to education.

The Kano government allocated a historic N405 billion out of its N1.36 trillion proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year to the education sector, following the declaration of a state of emergency on education by the state government.

Education minister Tunji Alausa gave the commendation on Tuesday in Kano during the presentation of permanent and pensionable appointment letters to 4,900 newly recruited teachers and the engagement of 3,688 Abba Gida Gida BESDA Cohort V facilitators.

He described the feat as a major investment in human capital development and quality education.

Mr Alausa described teachers as the most important professionals in any society, saying they play a critical role in shaping future generations and national development.

“You have a performing governor who has prioritised education. In three years, Kano has recruited about 16,000 teachers, which is a remarkable investment in human capital development. Teachers are the most important professionals in any country because good teachers produce good students and responsible citizens,” he said.

Mr Alausa urged the newly recruited teachers to justify the confidence reposed in them through dedication, professionalism and commitment to quality teaching. He also commended the state government’s investment in infrastructure, including road construction and installation of solar-powered street lights, describing the projects as evidence of good governance.

Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf said the presentation of appointment letters marked another milestone in his administration’s efforts to reposition the education sector. He said the government recruited more than 13,000 qualified teachers into basic and secondary schools between May 2023 and June 2026.

According to him, the latest recruitment of 4,900 teachers and engagement of 3,688 BESDA Cohort V facilitators bring the total number of newly recruited teachers and facilitators under his administration to more than 16,000.

Mr Kabir-Yusuf described the exercise as an investment in the future of Kano’s children and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to improving access to quality education.

He said the government had also invested in the construction and renovation of classrooms, provision of school furniture, primary school uniforms, instructional materials, and reopening of 15 boarding schools. Others are establishment of six technical schools and continuous payment of counterpart funding to access interventions from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

He said the BESDA facilitators would serve for an initial period of nine months, after which qualified beneficiaries could be considered for permanent appointment based on performance.

(NAN)