The Kano State Government has taken a bold step towards reducing the high number of out-of-school children by approving the procurement of free school uniforms worth over ₦1.1 billion for primary one school pupils.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf approved the sum of ₦1,147,582,000 for the provision of uniforms to all pupils admitted into Primary One for the 2025/2026 academic session.

This was contained in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Friday.

Speaking on the initiative, Governor Yusuf described the gesture as part of his administration’s comprehensive education reform agenda aimed at boosting enrollment, improving retention, and ensuring equal opportunities for children regardless of background.

“We recognise the burden many parents face in meeting the needs of their children. By providing uniforms to new pupils, we are not only easing that burden but also sending a strong message that education is a right, not a privilege,” Yusuf said.

He further explained that the intervention would serve as a strategy to attract children roaming the streets into classrooms, thereby curbing the out-of-school crisis that has continued to pose a challenge to the state and the nation at large.

The initiative is also expected to complement other education reforms recently introduced by the Yusuf administration, including the renovation of dilapidated schools, provision of teaching materials, and recruitment of teachers.

With Kano ranking among the states with the highest number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, the government’s new move is seen as a step in the right direction towards addressing one of the most pressing educational challenges in the country.

This initiative was flagged off in 2024 and is to be repeated in 2025 as part of the fulfilment of the campaign promises of the Kwankwasiyya Gida Gida administration.