Governor Yusuf Reaffirms Commitment to Sustaining Education Reforms as UK-Funded PLANE Programme Ends

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining the education reforms introduced under the United Kingdom-funded Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) programme, describing education as the foundation for the state’s future development.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s spokesman, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Saturday.

The Governor’s position was conveyed by the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ali Abubakar Haruna Makoda, who represented him at the PLANE Transition Workshop held in Kano on Thursday.

Governor Yusuf said his administration would consolidate the gains recorded under the five-year programme by strengthening education planning, improving teacher development, expanding access to quality learning materials, and ensuring that every child has access to quality education.

He commended the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), PLANE, Save the Children International and other consortium partners for their invaluable support in transforming Kano’s education sector.

The Governor noted that the programme had helped the state generate credible data on out-of-school children through a comprehensive household survey, enabling government to design targeted interventions aimed at reducing the number of children outside the school system.

He also acknowledged PLANE’s contribution to improving foundational literacy and numeracy through teacher capacity building and the provision of teaching and learning materials across schools in the state.

Governor Yusuf assured development partners that Kano State would institutionalise the reforms introduced under the programme and continue investing in policies and initiatives that improve learning outcomes for children.

He reiterated his administration’s readiness to strengthen collaboration with local and international partners to ensure that the achievements recorded under PLANE are sustained for the benefit of future generations.

During the workshop, the Commissioner for Education presented a Letter of Appreciation to the PLANE Programme, represented by the Education Manager of Save the Children International, Stephen Sawa, in recognition of its outstanding contributions to education development in Kano, particularly its support for the Accelerated Basic Education Programme (ABEP).

The event was attended by representatives of the British High Commission, UNICEF, development partners, civil society organisations, education stakeholders and senior government officials, who collectively endorsed key transition actions aimed at sustaining the reforms through stronger government ownership and institutional collaboration.

UK-Kano Strengthen Development at High-Level Courtesy Visit

His Excellency Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Tuesday received a delegation from the British High Commission in Nigeria led by Ms. Cynthia Rowe, Head of Development Cooperation, for a courtesy visit aimed at reinforcing longstanding development ties and reviewing ongoing collaboration under the UK-Kano Mutual Accountability Framework.

 

 In her remarks, Ms. Rowe conveyed the appreciation to the government and people of Kano State for the warm reception.

 

 She reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to its strategic partnership with Nigeria and Kano State.

 

 She explained that the UK is undergoing a strategic shift in international development approach, including a gradual reduction in direct funding and a stronger emphasis on leveraging private sector investment, economic growth and multilateral partnership

 

 She highlighted three priority areas guiding future cooperation: economic growth through investment, security and stabilization and strengthening systems in education, agriculture and health.

 

In his response, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by his deputy, Murtala Sule Garo, expressed gratitude for the visit and commended the enduring partnership between the United Kingdom and Kano State under the UK-Kano Development Partnership Framework.

 

Garo said, “The Kano State Government highly values the support and partnership of the British High Commission in critical sectors that directly impact the lives of our people, including governance reforms, education, healthcare, economic development, institutional strengthening, and social inclusion.

 

 

“We recognize that sustainable development can only be achieved through genuine partnerships built on trust, transparency, and shared responsibility. Today’s engagement provides another important opportunity for us to review our collective progress, exchange ideas, and reaffirm our commitment to the Mutual Accountability Framework, which continues to guide our collaboration towards achieving our common objectives.”

 

He emphasized the state government’s appreciation for UK support in critical sectors such as governance reforms, education, healthcare, economic development, institutional strengthening and social inclusion.  

Garo also expressed appreciation to the British High Commission for its continued cooperation, technical support, and dedication to the development aspirations of Kano State.

 

He said that the state government is looking forward to sustaining and strengthening this productive relationship for the benefit of our dear citizens.

(Aminu Dahiru)