How lack of Education Sector Plan hinders inclusive education in Kano
Quality education for all remains an elusive goal in many regions, particularly for students with disabilities. In Kano, despite the state’s education budget surpassing UNESCO’s recommended 26% benchmark, the absence of an Education Sector Plan (ESP) exacerbates the challenges faced by children with special needs, hindering their access to inclusive, equitable education.
By Hadiza Musa Yusuf
Umar Auwal, a 16-year-old boy, walks slowly into his family’s half-mold brick house in Kode, a community in Dawakin Kudu, Kano State.
With each step, his left leg drags slightly behind, his body tilting to one side. The stiffness in his joints is visible, and every movement seems to demand immense effort. His pace is uneven, marked by pauses, weight shifts, and subtle grimaces.
At 12:55 p.m., Umar should have been in school. But he isn’t because he never made it past primary six.
As a child, Umar was eager to learn despite his physical challenges. He started school in Kode with determination, pushing through difficulties. But over the years, his enthusiasm dimmed. The journey to secondary school proved too much to bear.
“The school is at the far end of town, and walking there every day is unbearable. Also, I have to deal with climbing stairs.” Umar says as he lowers himself onto a worn-out couch in their living room.
“Taking a bike isn’t an option either. it would cost me 200 naira daily, and if I were to attend the other secondary school in Dawakiji, I’d need 600 naira for transport, which we simply can’t afford.”
Umar’s father passed away, leaving his mother to support the family through a small-scale groundnut oil business.
In primary school, he managed because a friend with a bicycle often gave him a ride. But that friend has since moved away.
“Now, school no longer feels worth the struggle,” he admits.
“Most teachers don’t come to primary school, and the class is mostly empty but I could still play with my friends.”
Still, Umar hasn’t entirely given up hope.
“If I can get school materials, new books, a uniform, and a bicycle, I’d be willing to start secondary school again,” he said.
For nine-year-old Khadija Lawan, every day is a struggle. Living in Nasarawan Suleimanu, Dawakin Kudu, she battles the challenges of cerebral palsy, a condition that makes it difficult for her to walk and speak.
Despite her eagerness to learn, Khadija does not attend school.
Her guardian, Dantala Muhammad explained that Khadija does not attend school because, as far as he knows, the government has not provided a suitable school for her.
“Even Tudun Maliki, a government-run special school, is not well-equipped to meet her needs.
“I visited the school to see for myself, but it lacks the specialized materials required to support her education and it’s a secondary school. The primary schools in our area are not suitable either,” he said.
According to him, Khadija’s cognitive development differs from her age. “She still behaves like a small child. Her siblings often have to guide her on what to do or not to do.”
He wishes the government would establish schools tailored for children like Khadija, giving them a chance at education.
Dr. Mustapha Aliyu, a specialist at Queen Alexandra Hospital in the United States, explains that cerebral palsy results from brain injury before or after birth.
“Prolonged labor and severe jaundice in newborns are common causes,” he said. The condition affects movement, posture, and cognitive development, meaning that some individuals may have the brain function of a much younger child even as they age.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that cerebral palsy (CP) is the most common motor disability in childhood, resulting from abnormal brain development or damage.
Khadija’s experience is not unique. Across Kano, children with disabilities, especially girls face overwhelming barriers to accessing quality education.
The distance, lack of specialized teaching methods, inadequate infrastructure, among many reasons force children out of school long before they reach secondary education.
With only one senior specialized school (Tudun Maliki) and 15 new Special Education units integrated into regular primary schools, Kano State struggles to meet the demand
The Nigerian Association of Persons with Disabilities, Kano Chapter, estimated that as of 2022, 43,418 children with special needs lived in the state.
Kano State has been praised for its significant investment in education, allocating 29.95% (over ₦95 billion) in the 2024 budget, exceeding UNESCO’s recommended 26% benchmark. This commitment rose to ₦N168.5 billion ( 31%) in 2025.
Additionally, the state government declared an education emergency and pledged reforms aimed at improving learning conditions.
However, despite these budgetary commitments, the impact on inclusive education remains limited. Many schools lack disability-friendly infrastructure, specialized teaching materials, and adequately trained teachers to support children with special needs.
One major reason for this gap is the absence of an education sector plan (ESP).
According to the United Nations Girls Education Initiative (UNGEI), ESP is a comprehensive strategic document that offers a vision for the schooling system and identifies the ways to achieve it.
While Kano’s investments in education are commendable, the lack of a well-structured implementation plan, make it difficult to translate these investments into meaningful improvements.
The Education Sector Plan (ESP) expired six years ago in 2018, and this has left a critical gap in ensuring inclusive policies, effective budgeting, and targeted implementation strategies.
Aisha Baba, a 15-year-old student with speech impairment at Unguwa Uku Special Primary School, expressed her frustration over the poor learning environment, saying it has made her lose interest in school.
“In my school, there are no toilets, and we are forced to practice open defecation, which is very uncomfortable,” she said. “We barely have teachers and sit on the bare floor.”
“I keep coming because I want a better life for myself,” she added.
The headmaster of the school, Ibrahim Ismail Abdullahi, confirmed the dire conditions.
“Aside from the lack of toilets, we do not have enough teachers, and there has never been any teacher training for those handling the special education section,” he stated.
He lamented the lack of government support. “It feels like the government has abandoned these children. Learning materials are not provided, and we struggle to teach them with the little resources available.”
Education is a Struggle – Aminu on the Challenges Faced by Students with Special Needs
Hamza Aminu Fagge, the Public Relations Officer of the Tudun Maliki Old Students Association, has revealed the numerous challenges faced by persons with special needs in accessing education.
As a visually impaired postgraduate student at Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Hamza has firsthand experience navigating Kano’s education system as a person with a disability.
Having previously attended Tudun Maliki Special School, he highlighted the systemic issues that prevent many persons with disabilities (PWDs) from attaining quality education.
He revealed financial, learning material and infrastructure challenges. “I have always found it difficult to get to school because of transportation challenges. Learning materials for people with special needs, especially the visually impaired, are very expensive,” Hamza explained.
Basic tools such as slates and styluses cost between ₦15,000 and ₦20,000, while more advanced tools like digital recorders and computers with screen readers cost over ₦100,000.
“Hearing aids cost ₦300,000, wheelchairs ₦200,000, Braille machines over ₦1 million, and embosser machines are even more expensive,” he stated.
Hamza also lamented the lack of resources in schools.
“Not every school provides updated Braille materials or the necessary tools to make learning easier.
Hamza pointed out that many schools lack disability-friendly infrastructure, making it difficult for students with mobility impairments to access classrooms and facilities.
“Some students who use wheelchairs cannot access restrooms or classrooms upstairs. I know a lady who got admission but couldn’t attend because the school had no provision for her wheelchair,” he revealed.
Girls with disabilities face greater challenges
According to Hamza, female students with disabilities encounter even greater obstacles than their male counterparts.
“A blind girl cannot go to school alone safely, while boys might have more mobility. Girls need guides, and when there is no one to help them, it becomes a challenge to study,” he said.
“Most parents stop their daughters’ education after primary or secondary school, while boys are supported to go higher. The number of educated girls with disabilities is very low compared to boys. This is further worsened since they don’t see the need because most PWDs don’t get a job after completing their education.”
Despite Kano State’s inclusive education policies and the Nigerian Disability Act of 2019 which mandates all states to establish frameworks that safeguard the rights of PWDS, Hamza criticized their poor implementation.
“The government introduced inclusive education policies, yet PWDs and non-PWDs are taught in separate classrooms. This defeats the purpose of inclusiveness,” he said.
He also emphasized the need for qualified teachers trained in special education and called on the government to increase funding for inclusive education.
“We need professional teachers and adequate facilities. How many teachers in schools are trained on how to handle a child with special needs? Policies should address these challenges effectively,” he added.
Hamza urged stakeholders to support inclusive education by providing accessible classrooms and restrooms to ensure students with disabilities can learn in a conducive environment.
“I know someone who had to drop out from primary school because the toilets were not suited to his condition. The poor state of the toilet in primary school is worrisome for even normal people to talk more of PWDs,” he said.
He suggested offering scholarships to ease the financial burden on students with special needs.
He also called on the government to adopt an ESP putting into consideration GRESP policy as a key framework for promoting inclusivity in education.
He also advocated for gender-responsive teaching methods, building accessible infrastructure in schools, including ramps, adaptive classrooms, and assistive learning technologies, offering employment opportunities for educated persons with disabilities, ensuring they can contribute meaningfully to society.
Hamza stressed that without ESP, inclusive education policies will remain ineffective, as they fail to address the specific barriers that marginalized students, especially girls with disabilities, face in accessing quality education.
KSSMB Targets Inclusive Education for Students with Special Needs
Dr. Zakirai, Executive Director of the Kano State Senior Secondary Management Board (KSSMB), has opposed the creation of separate schools for students with special needs, advocating instead for their integration into mainstream education.
He argued that isolating students with disabilities, both physical and non-physical, could limit their potential rather than support their growth.
“We do not want to separate them from normal schools and place them in special needs schools. Doing so means limiting their capacity and reinforcing the idea that they are different. This is the first step in making them feel excluded,” he said.
Dr. Zakirai shared his personal experience. “I am a living witness to the benefits of integration. If I move from here to the door, you will notice that I, too, have a disability. Yet, I attended the same schools as my peers because I wanted to do what they did. At one point, I used a crutch, but eventually, I stopped because being around able-bodied classmates boosted my confidence. I wanted to match their abilities.”
He questioned the feasibility of building separate schools for different categories of students. “How many schools are we going to build for those with autism, down syndrome and other forms of disabilities? Is the government prepared to establish separate institutions for those with mobility impairments, learning disabilities, or other unique needs?”
He emphasized that an inclusive approach fosters confidence among students therefore they should be allowed to learn alongside their peers.
Dr. Zakirai noted that the KSSMB is actively working to enhance teacher training to better support students with diverse disabilities, including visual, auditory, and physical impairments.
However, he acknowledged that the current training efforts are not sufficient and stressed the need for broader capacity building.
He urged policymakers to restructure the education sector to ensure all students, regardless of their needs, receive the support necessary to thrive.
Funding Delays Hamper Implementation in Kano – Amina Kassim
Amina Kassim, Coordinator of Girls’ Education at the Kano State Ministry of Education, revealed that delays in fund releases remain the biggest challenge to implementing programs for girls and students with special needs.
“We have a lot of programs ready to roll out, particularly to support girls and those with special needs, but we’re still waiting for funds.”
Despite Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf approving funds in December 2023 and again in 2024, none have been released.
“We are now in the last quarter of 2024, and nothing has been allocated,” she stated.
“The governor gave his consent in December 2023 for the implementation of some of our initiatives, but there was no release of funds. We resubmitted the memo in 2024, and within two days, the governor approved again, yet no funds were released.”
Kassim called for a more deliberate approach to ensure timely funding for programs designed to support girls’ education in the state.
Some of these initiatives, she highlighted, include the provision of free disposable pads for six months and training young girls in entrepreneurship.
Way Forward
Kano State must urgently develop a new Education Sector Plan (ESP) incorporating Gender-Responsive Education Sector Planning (GRESP) principles. This will help translate budgetary commitments into tangible improvements, ensuring students like Aisha Baba and Khadija Lawan can access inclusive, equitable education and secure a better future.
