The release of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination results by the National Examinations Council (NECO) provides an important opportunity to reflect on the direction of education in Kano State For the second consecutive year, Kano recorded the largest absolute number of candidates nationwide who obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
In 2025, Kano recorded 68,159 candidates meeting this benchmark In 2026, the figure increased to 74,413, representing an additional 6,254 successful candidates, or approximately 9.2 per cent year-on-year growth. Kano’s 2026 figure was ahead of Lagos with 72,496 candidates and Oyo with 55,543.
This achievement deserves celebration, but it also requires careful interpretation Kano has one of Nigeria’s largest school-age populations and examination cohorts. The significance therefore lies not simply in ranking first, but in the scale of opportunity created when tens of thousands of young people obtain qualifications that can open pathways to tertiary education, technical and vocational training, employment and further learning.
Educational outcomes are rarely the product of a single intervention They emerge from the interaction of financing, teachers, infrastructure, learning materials, school leadership, assessment, family support, community participation and accountability.
A major policy decision of the current administration was the declaration of a State of Emergency on Education in June 2024 This acknowledged challenges including inadequate classrooms, teacher shortages, overcrowding, poor learning environments, large numbers of out-of-school children and shortages of teaching and learning materials.
The declaration provided a platform for accelerated interventions in classroom construction and renovation, teacher recruitment, furniture, textbooks, learning materials, uniforms, examination support and broader system strengthening
Kano’s budgetary commitment demonstrates the priority attached to education Education accounted for approximately 29.95 per cent of the state budget in 2024. In 2025, about N168.35 billion, representing roughly 31 per cent of the budget, was allocated to education. For 2026, approximately N405.35 billion, around 30 per cent of the state’s spending plan, was allocated to the sector.
Such consistency is important because education transformation requires predictable and sustained financing However, allocation alone is insufficient. Government should increasingly demonstrate the full chain from budget allocation and releases to expenditure, outputs and measurable classroom-level outcomes.
Another important intervention is the sponsorship of examination fees For low-income families, examination costs can determine whether a young person completes secondary education with a recognised qualification. In 2025, more than N3 billion was approved for examination registration support covering approximately 141,000 students across qualifying examinations, including WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS. In 2026, approximately N4.4 billion was committed to examination fees for more than 150,000 students.
This should be viewed both as an educational intervention and an equity measure because it reduces the likelihood that poverty becomes the final barrier between years of schooling and certification
Teachers remain the human engine of the education system In September 2025, Kano announced the absorption of 4,315 former BESDA volunteer teachers into permanent and pensionable employment. In July 2026, appointment letters were presented to 8,588 teachers, comprising 4,900 newly recruited and trained teachers and 3,688 BESDA teachers.
Recruitment must, however, be complemented by effective deployment and continuous professional development, particularly for rural communities, underserved schools and critical subjects such as English, Mathematics, science and technology
Infrastructure has also received attention Reported interventions include more than N1.9 billion for renovation of primary school classrooms and approximately N2.925 billion for additional classroom construction. Government also announced the distribution of 73,800 three-seat desks across the 44 local government areas, alongside large-scale provision of school uniforms.
These investments matter because a desk, uniform, textbook or safe classroom can make a significant difference to a child from a low-income household The next challenge is ensuring equitable distribution, proper maintenance and measurable improvements in attendance, retention and learning.
Partnerships have equally contributed to Kano’s education reforms Federal institutions and development partners, including UBEC, PLANE, UNICEF, Plan International and Save the Children, have supported areas such as infrastructure, foundational literacy and numeracy, teacher development, planning, data generation and learning materials. Sustainable partnerships should strengthen government systems rather than establish parallel structures.
Nevertheless, NECO performance should not become the final measure of educational success Kano needs young people who can read with comprehension, use mathematics, think critically, solve problems, communicate effectively, use technology, create enterprises and participate responsibly in society.
Kano should protect education financing while strengthening transparency around budget releases, expenditure and value for money An annual Kano Education Performance Report should provide LGA-level information on enrolment, attendance, retention, transition, completion, learning outcomes, teachers, infrastructure, WASH, school safety, gender, disability inclusion, examinations and financing.
NECO performance should also be analysed beyond absolute numbers to include percentage pass rates, subject performance, gender differences, urban-rural disparities, school and LGA performance and year-on-year trends
Teacher quality should remain central through continuous professional development, mentoring, classroom observation and data-driven deployment Incentives should be considered for teachers serving rural and hard-to-reach communities.
Government should intensify efforts to address out-of-school children using ward- and household-level data; strengthen SBMCs and community accountability; expand girls’ education and re-entry opportunities; institutionalise school safety and early-warning systems; deepen digital education; and expand credible TVET, entrepreneurship and skills pathways
Kano should also consider establishing an Education Research and Innovation Hub connecting government, universities, civil society and development partners to evaluate reforms, test innovations and translate research evidence into policy and practice
Kano’s emerging education story is encouraging The movement from 68,159 successful NECO candidates in 2025 to 74,413 in 2026 represents 6,254 additional young people meeting the five-credit benchmark, including English and Mathematics.
Behind these figures is a wider pattern of investment: education receiving around 30 per cent of successive budgets; billions of naira committed to examination sponsorship; thousands of teachers recruited or absorbed; classrooms renovated and constructed; and desks, uniforms and learning materials provided
The achievement should not be attributed to one intervention or individual Students, teachers, parents, school leaders, communities, education agencies, government institutions and development partners all contribute to educational outcomes.
The second consecutive NECO achievement therefore carries two messages: celebration that progress is being recorded, and responsibility to sustain and deepen that progress
Kano’s ambition should ultimately be greater than leading a national table in absolute candidate numbers It should be to build an education system where every child enters school, every child learns, every learner is safe and included, every teacher is competent and supported, and every young person leaves education with the knowledge, character and skills required for a productive life.
Education transformation is a generational project When a society consistently invests in its children, strengthens its teachers, supports its schools and holds its institutions accountable, it is not merely funding education but it is investing in its future.
Dr Halilu, Co-Chair (CSOs), Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE)