The Executive Chairman of the Kano State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Yusuf Kabir, says the board is set to recruit an additional 4,000 teachers to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy in the state.
Kabir made the disclosure at the 2025 Learning Assessment Outcome quarterly review meeting in Kano.
The meeting, supported by the UK government under the three-year Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme, reviewed pupils’ learning progress across the 44 local government areas.
Kabir, who was represented by the board’s Secretary, Hajiya Amina Umar, said the state still faces a shortage of teachers despite recruiting 4,343 in the last exercise.
“We have made a formal request for 4,000 more teachers, and many applicants are interested. We are already preparing seven CBT centres in Wudil, Bichi and other areas to conduct aptitude tests,” he said.
He said the state is working to reduce its current teacher–pupil ratio, which in some areas stands at one teacher to 132 pupils.
According to him, the target is to achieve a ratio of one teacher to 60 pupils.
A stakeholder, Dr Miswaru Bello, expressed concern that 40 per cent of pupils in Kano still do not attend classes.
Bello said teacher absenteeism is about 12 per cent, a situation he noted could affect learning outcomes.
Umar said SUBEB would consider residential placement during the recruitment and take additional steps to bridge existing gaps.
The meeting recommended the expansion of accelerated learning holiday camps and the strengthening of school coaching.
It also advised improved monitoring of teacher and pupil attendance to enhance learning outcomes.
