Kano, Sept. 12 — The Kano State Government has approved N1.1 billion for the procurement of free school uniforms for all Primary One pupils in the state, in a bid to encourage enrolment and reduce the number of out-of-school children.
This was disclosed on Friday in a statement by Sunusi Dawakin-Tofa, spokesman to Governor Abba Yusuf.
According to the statement, the initiative is designed to ease the financial burden on parents, improve retention, and ensure equal learning opportunities across communities.
Kano, one of Nigeria’s most populous states, has consistently struggled with high numbers of out-of-school children. Data from UNICEF and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) show that Northern Nigeria contributes the bulk of the country’s estimated 10.5 million out-of-school children, with Kano often ranked among the highest.
Dawakin-Tofa stressed that education is a right, not a privilege, adding that the free uniforms will complement other reforms under the state government’s comprehensive education agenda.
“The move aims to attract out-of-school children into classrooms and complements other education reforms,” he said.
Despite federal policies on free and compulsory basic education, Nigeria — particularly northern states like Kano — continues to face challenges of access, equity, and retention.
