By Jane Salihu
The Federal Government has described Kano State’s large-scale recruitment of teachers as a model for education reform, saying sustained investment in qualified teachers and modern learning facilities will determine Nigeria’s ability to build a globally competitive education system.
The position was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Education, Ikharo Attah, following the official presentation of appointment letters to 4,900 newly recruited teachers and 3,688 Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) Cohort V Facilitators in Kano State.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, urged the newly recruited teachers to embrace professionalism, dedication and excellence, stressing that the quality of teachers remains the single most important factor in shaping future generations and driving national development.
“You are the most important people in our society. If we have good teachers teaching Nigerian children, we will produce very good students. Please take your time, love them, nurture them and teach them well,” the minister said.
He reminded the beneficiaries that the confidence reposed in them comes with greater responsibility, noting that they must justify their appointments through commitment to quality classroom instruction.
Alausa commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for prioritising education, describing the state’s decision to devote 32 per cent of its budget to the sector as a bold investment in human capital development.
According to him, the recruitment of nearly 9,000 teachers and facilitators, bringing the total number employed by the present administration to about 16,000 within three years, ranks among the most significant interventions in the education sector by any state government in recent years.
He contrasted Kano’s efforts with the situation in some states where, according to him, no teachers have been recruited for decades.
The minister also applauded the state’s broader infrastructure projects, including road reconstruction and the installation of solar-powered streetlights, saying they complement the administration’s education reforms and align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Earlier during his visit, Alausa inspected the Tarda Smart School in Ungogo Local Government Area, where he reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding technology-driven learning nationwide.
He described smart schools as essential to preparing Nigerian students with the digital skills required to compete in the 21st-century global economy.
The minister also visited Bayero University, Kano, before commissioning the newly constructed Government Girls Secondary School, Dangwaro, aimed at improving access to quality education for girls.
In his remarks, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf described the distribution of appointment letters as another milestone in his administration’s education reform programme, saying the exercise was designed to guarantee that every classroom is staffed with competent and qualified teachers.
He said the recruitment reflects the state’s determination to improve learning outcomes and ensure that every child has access to quality education in a conducive environment.
The governor also expressed appreciation to President Tinubu, the Federal Ministry of Education and development partners for supporting Kano’s education reforms.
Alausa assured Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue collaborating with state governments and development partners to strengthen teacher quality, expand modern learning infrastructure and implement reforms aimed at delivering inclusive and globally competitive education across the country.
