The Kano State Government has sponsored another 1,001 students for both foreign and local study programmes under its revitalised Foreign and Domestic Scholarship Scheme, reaffirming Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s commitment to restoring educational excellence in the state.
Speaking at the official flag-off ceremony, Wednesday, Governor Yusuf said the initiative aligns with his administration’s education-focused blueprint which he unveiled during the 2023 general elections, and reiterated that education remains his government’s top priority.
“From the onset, education was declared our first, second, and third priority. We met a sector in decay — schools with dilapidated structures, inadequate classrooms, poor furniture, and demoralized teachers. Many school properties were even sold or converted for private use,” he said.
Governor Yusuf recalled that his administration declared a State of Emergency on Education on June 8, 2024, to address these challenges, adding that education sector was voted 29.95% of the 2024 budget and 31% of the 2025 budget — the highest allocations in Kano’s history.
“As part of efforts to improve learning conditions, the government has constructed hundreds of new classrooms, renovated over 3,500 across primary and secondary schools, distributed thousands of furniture items and learning materials, and recruited 8,000 new teachers.
“The teachers were also promoted and supported with interest-free vehicle loans. Additionally, free school uniforms are being distributed to pupils statewide”, he stated.
At the tertiary level, Governor Yusuf said his administration approved ₦2 billion to support Kano indigenes studying in public universities nationwide and directed all state-owned tertiary institutions to reduce registration fees by 50% for the 2023/2024 academic session.
He further revealed that the government has cleared outstanding liabilities inherited from the previous administration, including ₦500 million owed to five private universities — Igbinedion, Crescent, Bells, Al-Qalam, and the American University of Nigeria — and ₦2.4 billion to Near East University, Cyprus, and another ₦55.3 million owed to the Digital Bridge Institute since 2018 has also been settled, enabling 100 affected students to obtain their certificates.
Governor Yusuf announced the revival of the College of Education and Remedial Studies, Ghari, and the establishment of a new Polytechnic at Gaya to boost access to technical and vocational education.
On the foreign scholarship programme, he noted that 418 students benefited from the first batch introduced under Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, at a cost of ₦5 billion, with all having graduated and some now gainfully employed abroad.
The second batch, he said, includes 590 beneficiaries — 350 to study in India and 240 in leading private universities in Nigeria.
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“This second phase marks a milestone as we are, for the first time, introducing a domestic postgraduate scholarship scheme to support outstanding graduates pursuing Master’s degrees in top Nigerian universities,” the Governor said.
He emphasised that the initiative would strengthen Kano’s human resource base, particularly in science, engineering, and medicine, positioning the state as a hub of excellence and innovation.
Governor Yusuf urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of Kano State, warning them against misconduct.
“You must not engage in anything that will bring shame to your state or your family. Shun illicit drugs, hooliganism, immorality, or cybercrime,” he cautioned.
With this latest sponsorship, the Yusuf administration continues to demonstrate its determination to rebuild Kano’s education sector and nurture a new generation of skilled, globally competitive citizens.
