Kano State Government

This section will examine the activities of the organizations that handle social development, which are under three ministries of Education, Women and Social Development, as well as the offices of three Special Advisers: Education and Information Technology, Youth Development and Women and Children Affairs.

Education is cardinal to the spiritual and material development of any society. When Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau was sworn in as the Governor of Kano State, he made it clear that education shall be a priority of his government not because Kano is one of the so-called educationally disadvantaged state but because without it the society cannot reproduce and maintain its social cohesion. Several activities were carried out in the state Ministry of Education since Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau assumed office. These activities were all geared towards improving the standard of education in Kano State, which has been known for its innovativeness being the first state to start the science secondary schools and the primary schools board.

The state government supported several innovations in the higher institutions of the state geared towards achieving mass qualitative education. At the Aminu Kano School of Islamic Legal Studies, a computer center was established and plans have reached advanced stage for introducing a degree program in Qur’anic Studies because of the government’s intention to improve Qur’anic schooling since Kano has maintained a leading position in Nigeria and internationally where its students have won more accolades than those from any other state. As part of its contribution to the smooth Shari’ah implementation, the school held seminars and training workshops on modern businesses and Shari’ah interpretations and operations and modalities of Hisba. At the Audu School for Agriculture, two new programs were introduced as part of the effort of providing opportunity to youths for training that will eventually lead to gainful employment. Also, the government promptly released funds to school to enable it meet the accreditation requirement of the National Board for Technical Education.

The Kano State College of Education is the state’s main training institution for teachers who are the foundation of every educational system. The state government under the leadership of Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau supported this institution. For example the government approved the setting up of a computer center at the cost of sixteen million naira (N16,000,000). The state government authorized the recruitment of forty-one new members of staff to expand the manpower of the college in anticipation of the task ahead in the coming years. The state government also provided the Kano State University of Technology with twenty one million naira to meet the requirements of accreditation. Similarly the state government disbursed five million naira (5,000,000) to Kano State Polytechnic for the preparation of accreditation by the National Board for Technical Education. The courses to be accredited were HND Statistics, HND Biology/Microbiology, HND Chemistry and ND Computer Science for Technical Education. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria visited the Polytechnic in preparation for the accreditation of the Accountancy Program. The central administration of the polytechnic released over N3m as subvention to its unit schools, over N2m was spent on examination materials and over N1m was expended on external moderation of examinations. The Polytechnic, like all other organizations under the current administration, made staff welfare one of its priorities. Hence, over N6m was spent on payment of part-time teachers claims and excess workload allowances and over N1m for medical refunds and responsibility allowances. Some members of the academic were sponsored to workshops, seminars and conferences. The long awaited staff primary school of the polytechnic took off and the polytechnic provided over N1m for this purpose.

During his inauguration as the Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, based on his experience and knowledge, restored scholarship awards to rationalized areas of study. He has also kept his promise of prompt payment of allowances by releasing the sum of N62,743,200 to settle a total number of 9,261 beneficiaries. The number is expected to reach over twenty thousand students with the new policy since over twelve thousand shall be interviewed shortly. The amount to be spent on settlement of students allowances next session by the state government is expected to be over N134million.

As a government committed to the welfare of its citizenry especially workers who are expected to shoulder responsibilities of public trust, Kano State Government under the leadership of Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau made funds available for loans to various categories of staff and leave grants were also paid.

The Kano State Agency for Mass Education was established in 1980 as one of the innovation that has since made Kano proud by winning several accolades. Kano State Government under the leadership of Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau has consistently acted as a government that believes in continuing all the good actions of previous administrations, hence its commitment to the programs of this agency, which is also in line with its vision of a highly cultured society. The agency has permanent and part-time staff. The agency has been a beneficiary of the present administration’s enhanced facilities for service delivery, which ensured that organizations were properly funded to carry out their duties. The agency received over N9million for the payment of part time allowances. A curriculum review committee was inaugurated to assess and make suggestion to improve the curriculum. The international literacy day was held in Gabasawa to mobilize the public.

The Kano State Primary Schools Management Board is the largest organization under the ministry of education and it has spent millions of naira in the rehabilitation of dilapidated primary schools. The state government has also approved the plan of providing all the primary schools of the state with furniture. One-third of the schools would be refurnished this year and the remaining schools in the subsequent two years. In line with the government’s commitment to social justice, a total of 1209 junior staff of various grades in the board were promoted during the period under review. Similarly the local councils promoted a large number of junior staff.
The Office of the Special Adviser, Education and Information Technology carried out several activities geared towards improving the quality of Islamic Education throughout the state. This is in line with the administration’s objective of proper implementation of the Shar’ah, hence this office during the year under review, conducted a census of almost all the Qur’anic and Islamiyya Schools in the state. The results are now subjected to studies before the mapping out of the intervention strategies for these schools with the aim of reducing the hardship of the pupils and the teachers. Series of advocacy programs were also conducted by this office with the aim of involving all the stakeholders in Islamic Education. There were also workshops conducted for the teachers of Qur’anic Schools in various zones of the state covering all the local government areas. The office also provided support to some schools that were destroyed during the last rainy season.

Ministry of Education is the largest organisation in the state and it has carried out several activities because of the administration’s commitment to the improvement of education. Twenty-six junior secondary schools and additional classrooms in others were built to provide additional spaces for 8760 students. Similarly, four junior secondary schools were upgraded to senior secondary thereby providing additional spaces for about 500 students. As part of the government’s effort in supporting the higher education of the largest possible number of students, it spent sixty-eight million naira in purchasing forms for various examinations. Forty-five million naira (N45,000,000) was spent in the renovation and repairs of the facilities in various schools all over the state. For several years, education has been hampered because of lack of supervision. Therefore, in an unprecedented move, the state government purchased vehicles for the zonal supervisors worth over thirty million naira (30,000,000). Such an endeavor had not been carried out in the last two decades. The government increased the amount for feeding students of secondary schools from N30 to N45 per student. During the Ramadan and Ed-al-Kabir the government spent additional twenty-one million (N21,000,000) in feeding the secondary school students.

The table below contains the summary of the activities of the Ministry of Education:

S/N	ACTIVITY	LOCATION	COST (N)
1	Repairs/renov. works: classrooms & othes	various sec. Schools across the State	45,965,510.31
2.	Construction of toilets, wall fencing, etc	various sec. Schools across the State	3,789,463.92
3.	Supply of 1,180 3-seater furniture	various sec. Schools across the State	6,490,000.00
4.	Payment of exams, accreditation fees for WAEC, NECON & SISCE	State indigene students: 14,959 students	68,153,450.00
5.	Sponsored officers for workshops	At Jos & Makurdi	60,000.00
6.	NYSC allowances	Schools under the ministry	5,512,500.00
7.	Purchase of JAMB/DE forms	Kano State students	1,600,000.00
8.	Upward review of student’s feeding & special feeding during Id-El-Kabir	33 boarding schools	N30 – N45 and 4,996,620.00 for Id-El-Kabir
9.	Special Feeding during Ramadan	Boarding schools	16,170,836.00
10.	Purchase of 10No. Brand new Peugeot Station wagons	10 Zonal education offices	30,154,343.00
11.	Approved maintenance of girls schools	Across the State (N40 & N59) for day & boarding resp.	As par total No. of students
12.	Upgrading 4 JSS to S.S. Schools status	Kadawa, Zarewa & Getso
13.	Provision of addit. 44 classroom for shifting & estab. Of 26 new JSS	GSS (Sharada, Dala, Kawaji, Gwammaja, Fatma Mohd, G/Gyadi, S/Mainagge & G/Albasa)

S/N	Activity	Location	Cost
1	Construction of 2No. block of 2 classrooms	Dukuki Islamiyya.& Tangaji Prim. Schs Garko & Makoda LGEAas	3,864,767.4
2	Construction of toilets	K/Kudu prim. Sch., Dukuki Islm., & Dandalama Prim. Schools.	1,165,527.00
3	Construction of borehole	Dandago Prim. School	500,005.00
4	Construction of wall fencing and fittings	Giginyu Prim. Sch.	115,867.50
5	Construction of Drainage	Kwalli Prim Sch.	520,915.00
6	Supply of units of furniture to 13 prim. Schs.’s for pupils,teachers and h/teachers	In 7 LGEAs	9,206,379.37
7	Rehabilitation and repairs of buildings and equipments	In 5 LGEAs	5,096,744.68
8	Supply of library books, gen sets, computer sets and pupil globes	H/Quarters, residence and guest house	861,100.00

S/N	ACTIVITY	LOCATION	COST (N)
1.	Repairs of 5no. Houses & Block of hostels damaged by windstorm (roofing)	GTC Wudil	235,441.00
2.	Re-painting of Secretariat premises & offices	Secretariat	154,030.00
3.	Exams fees and expenses		8,203,850.00

S/N	ACTIVITY	LOCATION	COST (N)
1.	Revitalisation of certain awards	State indigenes
2.	Settlement of student’s allowances	All institutions of higher learnings	62,743,200.00.
3.	Repaired 2 grounded vehicles & 3 others	H/Quarters	350,000.00
4.	Overhauling of student’s vehicle NAKSS		235,000.00
5.	Repairs of computers & typewriters	H/Quarters	17,000.00
6.	Sponsorship interview	Students	134,979.00

S/N	ACTIVITY	LOCATION	COST (N)
1.	Construction of drainage at the front side of the library	M.M. Library	558,075.00
2.	Repairs of 3 official vehicles	H/Quarters	859,915.00
3.	Computer trainings	Board staffs
4.	Extension of closing hours	Libraries
5.	Newspaper purchases
6.	Inspection of branch libraries

S/N	ACTIVITY	COST (N)
1.	Purchase of 1000 students’ chairs, 20 & 16 sets of executive & staff furniture	6,240,000.00
2.	Purchase of 10 sets of computer
3.	Renovation of laboratories
4.	Promotion of 53 staff
5.	Employment of 16 senior & junior staff
6.	A total of 1,234 sat for IJMB
7.	A total of 3,375 were admitted to various courses/programmes

Activity	Location/Beneficiary	Cost
(i) Recruitment of 13 academic & 28 Non academic staff
(ii) Provision of operational vehicle to Provost		2,020,697.38
(iii) Sponsoring 112 students for acculturation visit	To Gamborin Ngala	1,449,000.00
(iv) Supply of 50 units of computer sets	College Computer Centre.	16,000,000.00
(v) Provision of car refurbishing, motorcycle and bicycle loans	Six officers	652,000.00

Activity	School	Cost
NBTE visit in re-accreditation of the National Diploma in Hotel and Catering, Computer Science, HND Statistics, Biology, Microbiology and Chemistry	School of Technology	N5,737,412.00
Accreditation by the ICAN Institution on Accountancy programme.	School of Management Studies	N600,200.00
Staff School take off		N1,000,240.00
NIPOGA 2003/Sports equipment		N1,214,850.00
Subvention/ remittance to unit schools	School Authorities	N3,729,850.00
Departmental requirements	Various Departments	N905,000.00
Examination requirements	Whole departments of the Polytechnic	N2,153,400.00
Settlement of part-time teachers claims/excess hours	Various Departments	N6,517,800.00
Medical Refund		N565,968.00
Responsibility allowances	Whole Departments	N952,400.00
External moderation		N1,362,750.00
Preparation for convocation ceremony		N460,192.00
Workshops, conferences and seminars		N778,085.00