Kano’s Education Reforms Win UK Parliament’s Endorsement, Set African Benchmark

* British lawmakers, education experts hail Yusuf’s literacy drive as evidence-based model

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

Kano State’s sweeping education reforms under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf have received a major international endorsement after they were showcased at the Parliament of the United Kingdom as a model for sustainable, government-driven literacy transformation across Africa.

The recognition, according to a statement by the Director-General, Media and Publicity, Kano State Government House, Sunusi Bature, and made available to THISDAY on Saturday, came during the International Parliamentary Forum on Reading Revolution held at the House of Lords, Westminster, London.

The statement explained that British parliamentarians, education experts, researchers and policymakers praised the state’s commitment to improving foundational learning through sustained public investment, evidence-based policies and measurable learning outcomes.

The forum, it added, hosted and chaired by Lord Alton of Liverpool and supported by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Nigeria, brought together education stakeholders from the United Kingdom and Nigeria to deepen collaboration on literacy development and education reforms.

The event also featured Universal Learning Solutions (ULS), the international education organisation partnering the Kano State Government in implementing the Jolly Phonics literacy programme across public schools.

Participants described Kano as one of Africa’s leading examples of government-led education reform, noting that unlike many literacy programmes on the continent that depend heavily on donor support, the state’s reforms are financed largely from its own resources.

Representing Governor Yusuf at the forum, the Technical Adviser on Education Reform, Dr. Haladu Mohammed, said education remained the administration’s foremost priority, adding that the governor’s leadership had positioned Kano at the forefront of evidence-based literacy reforms in Africa.

According to him, the administration’s sustained investment in teacher recruitment, school improvement and the implementation of the internationally recognised Jolly Phonics programme has begun yielding measurable improvements in children’s reading abilities.

He said: “His Excellency Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf believes that every child in Kano deserves the opportunity to learn to read. That is why education continues to receive the largest share of the state budget.

“Our investment in teachers, our partnership with Universal Learning Solutions and our commitment to implementing Jolly Phonics across our schools are already delivering measurable improvements in literacy.”

Mohammed noted that Kano had become the first state in Nigeria to introduce the United Kingdom’s Phonics Screening Check, describing it as an objective tool that provides clear evidence of children’s reading progress.

“We are particularly proud that Kano became the first state in Nigeria to implement the UK’s Phonics Screening Check, providing clear evidence that our children are making real progress,” he stated.

He disclosed that the government’s next target is to extend the literacy reforms beyond conventional schools through ongoing Almajiri education reforms.

“Through our Almajiri education reforms, we are expanding access to high-quality foundational literacy so that children in Qur’anic schools also benefit from the same opportunities to learn, thrive and contribute to the future development of Kano State,” he said.

Mohammed argued that Kano’s experience had demonstrated that meaningful education reforms are only sustainable when driven by strong political leadership and government ownership rather than dependence on donor agencies.

According to him, “Unlike many education programmes that rely on external donor funding, Kano has chosen to invest its own resources because we believe literacy is fundamental to our future prosperity.

“We are honoured that the African Union has recognised Kano’s progress, and we hope our experience will encourage other states in Nigeria and countries across Africa to invest in evidence-based literacy reforms.”

Also speaking at the forum, the Chief Executive Officer of Universal Learning Solutions, Gary Foxcroft, applauded Governor Yusuf for what he described as visionary leadership that had transformed Kano into a continental reference point for literacy development.

“Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has demonstrated that when governments invest in evidence-based education reforms, lasting change is possible,” Foxcroft said.

“Kano has become one of Africa’s leading examples of literacy reform, and we hope this is only the beginning of even greater gains, particularly through the expansion of foundational learning into Almajiri schools.”

Foxcroft said the state’s adoption of the UK’s Phonics Screening Check had provided credible evidence of improvements in children’s reading skills, adding that the achievements aligned with the recommendations of a recent African Union report on foundational learning.

According to him, the report identified Kano’s implementation of Jolly Phonics as a successful example of evidence-based literacy reform and encouraged wider adoption of structured literacy approaches across Africa.

The forum equally acknowledged the contribution of Newcastle University scholars, Professors Pauline Dixon and Steve Humble, whose independent studies reportedly demonstrated the effectiveness of the Jolly Phonics programme in Kano, including evidence that pupils’ phonics knowledge successfully transfers into Hausa literacy.

Participants also paid tribute to former United Kingdom Schools Minister, Rt. Hon. Sir Nick Gibb, for championing systematic synthetic phonics in England, as well as Chris Jolly, whose philanthropic support introduced the Jolly Phonics programme to Nigeria nearly two decades ago.

The Commissioner for Religious Affairs in Kano State, Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani Sani Auwal, described the extension of the literacy programme into integrated Qur’anic schools as a landmark initiative capable of transforming educational outcomes without undermining the state’s religious heritage.

“The integration of Qur’anic schools presents a historic opportunity to improve literacy and numeracy across Kano while preserving our religious heritage,” he said.

“By introducing Jolly Phonics as part of foundational learning, children in Almajiri and integrated schools will gain the reading skills they need to succeed in both religious and secular education.”

He added that the initiative reflected the administration’s commitment to inclusive education.

He said: “This initiative is about opportunity and inclusion. It reflects Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s determination to ensure that every child, regardless of the school they attend, has access to high-quality education.

“We appreciate the support of Universal Learning Solutions, Jolly Learning and our international partners, and we thank the British Parliament and the APPG for Nigeria for recognising Kano’s achievements.”

The meeting was attended by education leaders from the United Kingdom and members of the Nigerian diaspora, including Mrs. Hindy Mohammed, Dr. Amina Abubakar, Professor Pauline Dixon and Professor Steve Humble.

The endorsement at the UK Parliament is expected to further strengthen Kano’s profile as a leading example of sustainable, evidence-based and government-funded literacy reform in Nigeria and across Africa, while reinforcing growing international confidence in the state’s education agenda.