Kano flags off 2025/2026 annual school census to strengthen education planning
Kola Oyelere, Kano
The Kano State Government has commenced the 2025/2026 Annual School Census (ASC), with the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ali Haruna Abubakar Makoda, reaffirming the government’s commitment to strengthening education planning through the use of accurate, reliable and up-to-date data.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at the Ministry of Education’s Conference Hall in Kano on Thursday, Makoda described the Annual School Census as a critical exercise for generating credible statistics needed for evidence-based policy formulation, effective planning, equitable allocation of resources and improved service delivery across the state’s education sector.
He urged all officials and stakeholders participating in the exercise to ensure accuracy, transparency and timely collection and submission of data to guarantee the credibility of the census.
The commissioner officially declared the 2025/2026 Annual School Census open and presented sample census questionnaires and other data collection materials to key education agencies.
These included the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Kano State Senior Secondary Schools Management Board (KSSSSMB), State Agency for Mass Education (SAME), State Science and Technical Schools Board (STSB), and the Private and Voluntary Institutions Management Board (PVIMB), signalling the commencement of data collection.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Bashir Baffa Muhammad, welcomed participants and commended development partners and other stakeholders for their continued support in improving education management through quality data.
He said the successful conduct of the census would significantly enhance planning and decision-making across the education sector.
In his presentation, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Yusha’u Hamza Kafinchiri, outlined the objectives, scope, methodology, implementation timeline and expected outcomes of the exercise
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According to him, the census is designed to collect comprehensive information on schools, learners, teachers, infrastructure and other critical education indicators to support informed planning and effective policy implementation.
Representatives of development partners, including UNICEF, PLAN International and the Development Research and Projects Centre (DRPC), praised the Kano State Government for sustaining the Annual School Census initiative.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Ministry of Education in strengthening education data systems and ensuring the availability of quality statistics to drive educational development in the state.
The ceremony was attended by directors of the Ministry, heads of education agencies, representatives of development partners, education stakeholders and other dignitaries.