Education crisis: UNICEF reports only 1 in 10 Kano pupils can read proficiently

PREMIUM TIMES NG

Only 9.6 per cent of primary school pupils in Kano State demonstrate reading proficiency, and 11.2 per cent possess basic numeracy skills, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said.

The UNICEF Chief of the Kano Field Office, Rahama Mohammed, stated this on Friday at a news conference held in Kano to mark the 2025 International Day for Education.

Mr Mohammed described the statistics as “a wake-up call for all stakeholders,” stressing the need for urgent investment in education to reverse the trend.

Citing the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), Mr Mohammed recalled that 989,234 primary school-age children in Kano—approximately 32 per cent of the population—are currently not enrolled in formal education.

“This is not just a statistic; it represents the dreams and potential futures of nearly one million children being cut short. Urgent action is required to address this crisis,” he said…