Kano Education Experts Call for Teaching to Be Recognized as a Noble Profession

Education stakeholders in Kano State have called for a shift in perception about teaching, emphasizing that it should be seen as a noble profession rather than a backup career choice.

The discussion took place on Friday during a one-day roundtable organized by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) to address challenges in ensuring quality education in Kano’s school system.

Speaking at the event, Mijitapha Rano expressed concern that many individuals enter the teaching profession due to a lack of other job opportunities, rather than a genuine passion for education.

“We must embrace teaching as a profession, not as a last resort when other jobs are unavailable. The quality of education depends on the commitment of teachers, and that commitment can only come when teaching is seen as a career of choice,” he said.

To improve the perception of teaching, he recommended regular training and retraining for teachers.

Rano stressed the importance of specialized training, arguing that:

• English teachers should be trained in English
• Mathematics teachers should be trained in Mathematics
• Grouping all teachers into general training sessions under the guise of capacity building weakens the system

The stakeholders criticized political interference in teacher recruitment, highlighting that qualified applicants are often overlooked.

They also called for urgent action to address overcrowded classrooms, stating:

• Overcrowding makes it difficult for teachers to engage students effectively
• It limits teachers' ability to provide individual attention
• Classroom congestion ultimately affects the quality of instruction, student performance, and graduate competency

The experts urged the government to show a strong political will to reform the education system.

A speaker at the event questioned the appointment of commissioners without an education background, asking:

“How can you appoint someone who is not from the education sector to lead education in the state? In the health sector, the commissioner is always a professional. Why is education treated differently?”

Participants insisted that education commissioners should have a strong foundation in the field to effectively address the sector’s challenges.

Professor Garba Sa'ad of Bayero University, who chaired the panel, lamented the lack of a strong quality assurance system in Kano’s education sector.

He highlighted key challenges, including:

• Limited mobility, funding, and incentives for quality assurance officers
• Lack of resources for school inspections, with officers using personal funds for their duties

“How can an officer conduct school inspections without a vehicle or an allowance? Many times, they have to use their own money, which discourages them from doing their work properly,” he stated.

The experts recommended:

• Fully funded quality assurance offices in every education zone
• Annual conferences on education quality assurance to address challenges and propose solutions

The stakeholders emphasized the importance of community participation in monitoring schools.

“Education is a collective responsibility, and without strong community involvement, reforms will be difficult to sustain,” they stated.

The experts stressed the urgency of education reforms in Kano, calling for:

• Recognition of teaching as a noble career
• Merit-based recruitment of teachers
• Appointment of qualified education leaders
• Stronger quality assurance mechanisms
• Active community engagement

They urged the state government to take immediate action to improve Kano’s education system and secure a better future for students.