25% of Kano primary schools have only 1 teacher for all six grades, PLANE reports

The Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), an education initiative funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), has disclosed that approximately 25% of primary schools in Kano State operate with only one teacher catering to all six primary grades.

This revelation was made on Thursday during the presentation of findings from a Learning Outcomes Assessment conducted in PLANE-supported Local Government Areas (LGAs) after two years of intervention.

Data from the assessment, compiled by School Support Officers, indicates that these LGAs average 131 pupils per teacher—nearly four times the UNESCO-recommended Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) of 35:1.

“Both teachers and learners demonstrated high levels of absenteeism, and in about 79% of Kano classrooms, most children do not have pencils or exercise books,” the report highlighted.

Despite these challenges, the findings showed notable improvements in literacy and mathematics in schools receiving PLANE’s support.

Joseph Wales, FCDO Education Adviser, stated: “PLANE and the British Council have demonstrated the potential of these approaches to improve learning outcomes despite significant challenges. Now we must use these as a catalyst for working in partnership at all levels in Kano – community, LGA and state – in order to improve education for all.”

Deputy National Team Lead of PLANE, Sam Achimugu, commended Kano State’s commitment to the programme.

“We are working with the government to ensure learners in the state perform better in foundational literacy and numeracy skills, beyond the LGAs where we currently work. However, there are some systemic challenges that stakeholders need to collaboratively address,” he noted.

Stakeholders acknowledged PLANE’s efforts in enhancing learning outcomes while pointing out the need for teacher redistribution, as some schools in urban areas are overstaffed while rural schools face severe shortages.

Amina Umar, representing the Chairman of Kano State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), remarked: “Most of the issues raised here, from the side of SUBEB, we have started taking actions, and the state government is very committed as demonstrated through the declaration of a state of emergency in education in the state.”

She also emphasised the importance of local government involvement, noting that appointing competent Education Secretaries and headteachers could help address issues such as absenteeism and poor leadership.

The dissemination event brought together representatives from the State Ministry of Education, SUBEB, LGAs, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and development partners, including the FCDO and the British Council. Participants collectively developed strategies to address the systemic challenges highlighted in the report.

Since its launch, PLANE has reached over one million learners in Kano, Kaduna, and Jigawa states, focusing on improving foundational literacy and numeracy skills. In Kano alone, the programme’s initiatives have benefitted 265,011 children across 11 LGAs and 1,112 schools.

PLANE is a seven-year programme aimed at enhancing learning outcomes and strengthening education delivery in collaboration with federal and state governments.