Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has described education as the most powerful tool in the fight against poverty, unemployment, and insecurity, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to overhauling the education sector as a strategic driver of economic recovery and societal stability.
Speaking on Wednesday at the opening of the KADA EduPACT International Summit 2025 held at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Murtala Square, Kaduna, the governor outlined an ambitious education agenda focused on resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability.
“Education for us is the cornerstone of a peaceful, prosperous and secure society. It is our strongest approach to economic recovery, poverty reduction, and most importantly, a safeguard against insecurity,” he said.
Governor Sani stated that his government had embraced a comprehensive, data-driven reform blueprint prioritising large-scale investment in school infrastructure, teacher quality, digital integration, and equitable policies that serve marginalised groups including girls, children with disabilities, nomadic learners, and those displaced by conflict.
Despite fiscal pressures, the governor affirmed that Kaduna is maintaining its education budget, while pioneering low-cost digital and radio learning alternatives, with foundational literacy as the central focus of its interventions.
He announced the completion of three ultra-modern Institutes of Vocational Training and Skills Development in Rigachikun, Samaru Kataf, and Soba, certified by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) as surpassing many polytechnics and universities in the country.
“Our vision is to position Kaduna as Nigeria’s centre of technical excellence, bridge the widening skills gap, and create sustainable employment opportunities for our youth,” he stated.
Governor Sani also pointed to the ongoing modernisation of Panteka Market, reputed as Africa’s largest informal skills hub with over 38,000 apprentices. The upgrade, he noted, includes new infrastructure and advanced training tools under the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).
Turning to tertiary education, he confirmed the allocation of N500 million to Kaduna State University (KASU), which recently secured accreditation for 40 new academic programmes. He also restated his administration’s decision to cut tuition fees by 40 percent across all state-owned tertiary institutions, a move that has significantly increased student enrolment.
“No child in Kaduna should be denied access to education due to financial hardship,” the governor declared. While acknowledging that Kaduna still faces a high number of out-of-school children, he assured that decisive action is underway to reverse the trend.
Under the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) Project, the government has constructed or rehabilitated over 1,000 classrooms, established 62 new secondary schools, distributed 1.48 million instructional materials, and provided nearly 31,000 two-seater desks, all tracked through digital dashboards.
“Our target is clear: to return at least 300,000 children to school and ensure they stay there,” Sani stressed.
He described EduPACT 2025 as a strategic platform for mapping out a concrete, results-oriented education roadmap anchored on six pillars: expanded access and equity, quality teaching and learning, sustainable financing, digital transformation, gender equity and inclusion, and system resilience backed by robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
“This summit must deliver timelines, budgets, and accountability structures that go beyond promises and endure beyond election cycles,” the governor told delegates.
British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs Gill Lever OBE, reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to Kaduna’s education reforms, citing collaboration under the FCDO’s PLANE programme, which has supported improvements in foundational literacy, teacher training, and the reintegration of out-of-school children.
“This summit presents a vital opportunity to deepen cooperation and exchange practical strategies. The UK stands firmly behind Kaduna’s education transformation,” she said.
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, in her keynote address, commended Kaduna for aligning local education strategies with global development targets, particularly in the face of economic turbulence, social inequalities, and climate challenges.
Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, called the summit a landmark step towards building a transformative education model. He applauded the unprecedented allocation of 26 percent of Kaduna’s 2025 budget to education, adding that the results are already visible in improved learning metrics.
The two-day summit is jointly organised by the Kaduna State Government, the UK’s FCDO through its PLANE initiative, UNICEF, the World Bank’s AGILE project, Islamic Development Bank, Save the Children, Malala Fund, Miva University, and other development partners. It seeks to forge a lasting education compact between government and citizens based on mutual accountability, shared priorities, and measurable outcomes.
