The Kano State Government has set aside N1.1 billion to provide free school uniforms for pupils in Primary One, in a move aimed at improving enrollment and tackling the state’s out-of-school children crisis.
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The initiative was disclosed in a statement by Sunusi Dawakin-Tofa, spokesperson to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, on Friday in Kano.
According to Dawakin-Tofa, the intervention is designed to relieve parents of financial pressure, ensure equity in access to education, and encourage children particularly from rural and low-income families to attend school.
Education analysts have long identified Kano as one of the states grappling with high numbers of out-of-school children, a problem that persists despite federal policies providing for free basic education. Nigeria currently has an estimated 10.5 million children out of school, with a significant portion from the northern region.
The spokesman stressed that education is a fundamental right and not a privilege, adding that the government’s decision is part of wider reforms to strengthen the state’s education system and create more opportunities for vulnerable children.
By investing in school uniforms, the government hopes to not only attract new pupils but also help retain them in classrooms, ultimately reducing disparities in access to quality education across the state.
