The Jigawa State government, under the leadership of Governor Umar Namadi, has allocated a significant amount of funds towards the construction and renovation of mosques and other religious structures, despite the state's alarming educational challenges. A report detailing the state’s budget performance revealed that the government spent a total of N1.5 billion over three months in 2024 on religious projects. Specifically, N1.04 billion was spent on the construction of mosques and religious structures, while an additional N458.47 million was used for the completion of ongoing mosque constructions.
This expenditure comes at a time when Jigawa faces a critical educational crisis. According to a survey by the Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria (ESSPIN), the state is ranked fifth in the country for the highest number of out-of-school children, with over 820,000 children between the ages of 3 and 18 not enrolled in school. In a recent meeting with the Jigawa State House of Assembly, Mohammed Farah, Chief of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Kano Field Office, revealed that only 16.8% of children in the state are currently enrolled in formal education. The report further highlighted that 44% of primary school-age children and 52% of secondary school-age children in Jigawa are not attending school, contributing to a widening educational gap.
Farah also raised concerns about the state’s low levels of foundational literacy and numeracy. He called on the state legislature to act swiftly and institute reforms ahead of the next Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) scheduled for 2026/2027. Farah stressed that a radical shift in the state’s educational approach is essential to address these urgent challenges and ensure that children are given the opportunity to receive an education.
