Kano Battles Out-of-School Crisis as Yusuf Launches Massive Almajiri Reform

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is intensifying efforts to tackle the Almajiri and out-of-school children crisis in Kano State through a rehabilitation and education-focused strategy aimed at removing children from the streets and reintegrating them into formal learning.

Unlike the mass deportation approach adopted under former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Yusuf’s administration has prioritised rescue operations, rehabilitation programmes and expanded access to free education.

The governor allocated over 30 percent of the state’s budget to education in both 2025 and 2026, surpassing UNESCO’s recommended benchmark of 15 to 20 percent. The allocation is regarded as one of the highest education investments by any subnational government in Nigeria.

According to the state government, the growing number of out-of-school children, estimated at nearly 989,234, pushed the administration to declare a State of Emergency on Education in June 2024.

“The statistics are grim and the faces of these out-of-school children, devoid of the promise of learning, haunt us as a collective failure,” Yusuf said while announcing the emergency declaration.

As part of the intervention, the state’s Hisbah Board conducted several midnight rescue operations across Kano metropolis, removing children found sleeping under bridges, inside gutters and in abandoned buildings.

The rescued children were relocated to rehabilitation camps, including the Hajj Camp and Mariri Centre, where they receive medical care, feeding and access to both formal and Quranic education.

In one operation carried out between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m., more than 200 children were taken off the streets. Authorities said nearly 70 percent of the rescued children were from neighbouring states and even countries such as Niger, Chad and Cameroon, complicating reintegration efforts.

To strengthen oversight, the government established a multi-agency committee involving the National Human Rights Commission, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and the Kano State Ministry of Women Affairs.

The administration has also rolled out several incentives to encourage school enrollment, including free education policies, distribution of 1.3 million school uniforms, free JAMB forms for 10,000 students annually and payment of examination fees for over 141,000 candidates sitting for NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS examinations.

Officials say the broader goal is to reduce street begging, youth crime, drug abuse and social unrest by making formal education more accessible to vulnerable children.

However, child protection experts have raised concerns over the long-term sustainability of the programme, stressing the need for proper psychosocial support, structured family tracing and long-term reintegration plans.

Education stakeholders and UNICEF representatives also warned that Kano, alongside Jigawa and Katsina states, remains among the regions most affected by Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria currently has about 18.3 million out-of-school children — the highest figure globally.

An education consultant with UNICEF Kano Field Office, Aisha Abdullahi, said early childhood education remains one of the most effective solutions to the crisis.

“Early childhood education is not just a preparatory stage but a strategic intervention to reduce the number of out-of-school children,” she said.

She noted that children exposed to early learning are more likely to remain in school and complete their education, while lack of access significantly increases dropout risks.

Stakeholders also called for stronger parental involvement, particularly among fathers, noting that increased male participation in children’s education could drastically reduce school dropout rates across northern Nigeria.