Kano State has recorded a reduction in the number of out-of-school children, with the latest state-wide survey putting the figure at 875,593 in 2026, down by 113,641 from the 989,234 recorded in 2023.
The Kano State Commissioner for Education, Dr Ali Haruna-Makoda, disclosed the figure on Friday, August 14, 2026, while presenting the findings of the Kano State 2026 Out-of-School Children Survey Report.
The latest figure represents an 11.5 per cent reduction compared with the 2023 data provided by UNICEF, a development the commissioner described as encouraging evidence that sustained interventions and increased investment in education were producing positive results.
Despite the decline, however, the number of children still outside the formal education system remains a major concern, with the commissioner calling for renewed and coordinated efforts to ensure more children are enrolled and retained in school.
Haruna-Makoda said the 2026 figure was based on a rigorous state-wide survey, unlike previous figures that were largely estimates derived from national samples and other sources.
“Previous figures were largely estimates derived from national samples and other sources. The 2026 OOSC figure is based on a rigorous state-wide survey,” he said.
He explained that the new survey provides verified and disaggregated data by Local Government Area, age and gender, giving the state a clearer picture of children who remain outside the education system.
According to the commissioner, the data would provide a credible baseline for evidence-based educational planning, policy formulation, resource allocation and the design of targeted interventions to enrol, retain and support out-of-school children.
Haruna-Makoda attributed the progress to the commitment of the Kano State Government and increased investment in the education sector.
He identified enrolment drives, improvements in education data and information management systems, as well as collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners, as key components of the state’s efforts to address the challenge.
The commissioner stressed that while the reduction was encouraging, the remaining 875,593 out-of-school children showed that much more needed to be done.
He urged stakeholders to use the findings to develop practical and sustainable solutions tailored to the specific needs of communities and Local Government Areas.
Haruna-Makoda also called on parents, traditional and religious leaders, communities, development partners and civil society organisations to intensify their support for government efforts by encouraging families to enrol their children and keep them in school.
The latest survey provides Kano with more detailed information on the scale and distribution of its out-of-school population, but the size of the remaining figure underscores the challenge facing the state in ensuring that every child has access to education.
For thousands of families across Kano, the real test will now be whether the new data leads to targeted interventions that move more children from being counted in a survey to being enrolled and retained in school.
