In Kano pry schools, 1 teacher handles 105 pupils

Kano State’s public schools are facing a severe shortage of teachers and classroom facilities, with one teacher handling as many as 105 pupils in pre-primary and primary schools, according to findings from the 2024/2025 Annual School Census (ASC). The census report revealed that the pupil-teacher ratio in public pre-primary and primary schools stands at 105:1, […]

Kano State’s public schools are facing a severe shortage of teachers and classroom facilities, with one teacher handling as many as 105 pupils in pre-primary and primary schools, according to findings from the 2024/2025 Annual School Census (ASC).

The census report revealed that the pupil-teacher ratio in public pre-primary and primary schools stands at 105:1, while junior secondary schools recorded a ratio of 50 students per teacher, and senior secondary schools recorded a ratio of 37:1.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the recommended pupil-to-teacher ratio at the primary school level is 25 pupils to one teacher.

But Nigeria’s National Policy on Education sets the benchmark at 1:25 for pre-primary education, 1:35 for primary schools and 1:40 for secondary schools.

However, many public primary schools, particularly in densely populated urban centres, operate far above these approved standards due to overcrowding and inadequate teaching staff.

Although the Kano school census report was released in December 2025, the state’s education ministry confirmed that it remains the latest official assessment of the education sector.

The findings come amid a massive enrolment of over 5.6 million learners in public schools across the state.

According to the report, a total of 5,690,634 pupils and students were enrolled during the period under review.

The figure comprises 683,773 pupils in pre-primary schools, 4,034,744 in primary schools, 509,314 students in junior secondary schools, 412,518 in senior secondary schools, 31,236 learners in science and technical schools, and 19,049 participants in adult and non-formal education centres.

The report noted that the increasing enrolment has placed enormous pressure on available teachers, classrooms and other educational facilities, raising concerns about the quality of teaching and learning in public schools.

However, the state government attributed the challenges to years of neglect by previous administrations.

It stated that efforts have been ongoing to reverse the trend since the declaration of a state of emergency in education three years ago.

Officials said the government has continued to invest in the education sector to address the shortage of teachers and improve infrastructure, but acknowledged that the scale of enrolment remains a major challenge.

 

Overstretched infrastructure

The report also highlights overcrowding in classrooms, with an average of 145 pupils sharing a classroom in public pre-primary and primary schools.

In junior and senior secondary schools, the classroom ratios stand at 78:1 and 69:1, respectively.

Sanitation facilities are equally stretched.

The report indicates that one toilet serves an average of 343 pupils in public pre-primary and primary schools, while the ratios stand at 122:1 in junior secondary schools and 73:1 in senior secondary schools.

The census covered all 7,331 public pre-primary and primary schools, 1,451 junior secondary schools, 800 senior secondary schools, 49 science and technical schools, and 63 adult and non-formal learning centres in the state.

Despite the infrastructure challenges, the report points to significant progress in school participation, particularly among girls.

Girls accounted for 52 per cent of enrolment in both pre-primary and primary schools, 56 per cent in junior secondary schools and 54 per cent in senior secondary schools.

At the primary level alone, total enrolment reached 4,034,744 pupils, including 2,095,761 girls, while junior secondary schools recorded 509,314 students, of whom 284,708 were female.

The report further revealed that Kano’s public education system is supported by 45,007 teachers across various levels, with the bulk serving in pre-primary and primary schools.

The Annual School Census is a key education planning tool used by government and development partners to assess enrolment trends, infrastructure needs and resource gaps across the state’s education sector.

What we are doing to address challenges – Kano govt

The state’s Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Makoda, acknowledged the challenges but stressed that the government has already embarked on major interventions to address them.

In a recent interview during the visit of the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, to inspect some AGILE projects in the state, the commissioner explained that contracts worth over N24 billion have been awarded for the construction of 49 new schools, alongside plans to renovate 300 schools across all 484 wards of the state.

Makoda recalled that the administration declared a state of emergency in the education sector in 2023 due to years of neglect and dilapidation.

Since then, he said, education has consistently received the lion’s share of the state budget, 29.75% in 2024, 31.5% in 2025, and 30% in 2026.

“Wherever you step in, you will definitely see our project,” he said, noting that more than 2,500 classrooms have been renovated and over 18,000 teachers recruited to close gaps and correct imbalances.

He added that under the new teacher policy, recruits are expected to serve in their native communities to ensure rural areas are not left behind.