Kano State Government has spent over N3.4 billion in implementing free and compulsory education in the state, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said.
He stated this in Kano during the presentation of N20 million cheque to the 44 local government areas of the state on Saturday, which amounts to N880 million. He said the disbursement of the funds was to complement the rehabilitation and renovation of primary schools across the state.
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Ganduje said, “Kano has earmarked more than 26% of its annual budget to education which is in line with the internationally agreed formula of UNESCO.
“We are able to raise this amount by releasing 5% of our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), 5% of local governments’ statutory funds, 2% of every contract awarded in our state alongside the contribution from Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and other international development partners to education.”
The governor added that the state was able to record the achievement because it has the political will, strong institutions provided adequate finances and promoted community participation.
Also speaking, the executive secretary of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Danlami Hayyo said the state has used the N3.4 billion to construct over 407 classrooms and renovated more than 700 dilapidated ones; constructed over 460 toilets, provided 40,000 seats, as well as constructed 200 boreholes in schools across the state.
“Before the introduction of free and compulsory education in Kano, we used to have only 1.5million children in our school, today after the implementation of the policy, there are over 3.8m children in schools,” he said.
Similarly, the state commissioner for education, Sanusi Sa’id Kiru said the state has already built 3 Almajiri boarding schools in the senatorial districts and also planning to build additional 130 girl schools to complement the state’s policy.
