The Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, has intensified efforts to improve basic education in Kano State with the delivery of nearly 4,000 classrooms and support for strategic teacher recruitment aimed at expanding access to quality learning and advancing the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Aisha Garba, stated this during a series of education engagements in Kano, where she joined the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa; the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad; and the Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, to inspect UBEC-funded projects and witness the presentation of appointment letters to newly recruited teachers.
Garba explained that the day’s activities began with the inspection of classrooms constructed through UBEC interventions.
She disclosed that nearly 4,000 classrooms have been completed across Kano State, providing safer and more conducive learning environments while creating greater opportunities for children to enrol, remain in school and succeed academically.
She, however, stressed that expanding access to quality education goes beyond providing infrastructure, noting that qualified and motivated teachers remain the foundation of improved learning outcomes.
According to the UBEC boss, the Kano State Government’s teacher recruitment exercise ranks among the most significant education investments in the country, reflecting the state’s sustained commitment to strengthening basic education.
Garba revealed that the current administration in Kano has recruited more than 16,000 teachers, including the latest batch of newly employed educators, helping to bridge the teacher gap, particularly in underserved communities, and improving access to quality instruction.
She observed that Nigeria, like many countries, continues to grapple with a shortage of teachers, especially in rural areas, making sustained investment in the teaching workforce critical to improving educational outcomes.
Quoting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision for the education sector, Garba said: “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.”
She described each appointment letter presented to the newly recruited teachers as a symbol of renewed hope for schools, communities and the thousands of children whose future depends on quality teaching.
Garba further noted that the recruitment drive comes at a time when UNESCO estimates that the world requires more than 44 million additional teachers to address the global shortage, adding that Kano’s sustained investment places the state among governments taking practical steps to tackle the challenge.
The Executive Secretary commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for prioritising education and reaffirmed that stronger collaboration between the Federal Government, UBEC and state governments remains essential to achieving inclusive, equitable and quality basic education for every Nigerian child.
She also praised the leadership of the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, for driving reforms aimed at repositioning Nigeria’s education sector. Drawing on over two decades of experience in education, Garba said the pace of ongoing reforms reflects an unprecedented national commitment to improving learning outcomes.
UBEC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening partnerships with state governments across the federation to expand access to quality basic education through sustained investments in school infrastructure, teacher development and learner-centred interventions.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB), Malam Yusuf Kabir, said the recruitment exercise followed a transparent and merit-based process to ensure that only qualified, competent and committed teachers were employed into the state’s basic and secondary schools.
He explained that the exercise was strengthened by the Kano State Teacher Policy, which introduced aptitude tests and other assessment measures for prospective teachers, describing the policy as a major milestone in improving teacher quality and raising standards across the education sector.
Kabir emphasised that recruitment alone would not guarantee better learning outcomes unless teachers are properly deployed, supervised, mentored and continuously evaluated.
He assured that the education authorities would ensure that the newly recruited teachers are posted to schools where they are most needed while maintaining robust monitoring systems to improve classroom performance.
He also called on communities, development partners, corporate organisations and traditional institutions to complement government efforts, stressing that sustainable improvements in basic education require collective responsibility and community ownership.
The SUBEB chairman further commended Governor Yusuf for sustained investments in teacher recruitment, school rehabilitation and other strategic interventions designed to reposition the state’s education sector.
