Jigawa census uncovers 1.1 million non-formal education learners

A census of non-formal education in Jigawa State has identified 1,116,289 learners across 10,197 centres, highlighting concerns over inadequate accommodation and feeding support for Almajiri pupils.

Conducted across the state’s 27 local government areas, the census found that 66 per cent of Almajiri learners relied on community support for daily meals. It also revealed that 61.1 per cent of sleeping facilities required major repairs, while 3.5 per cent were considered unusable.

The findings were disclosed on Tuesday during the presentation of four statistical reports by the Jigawa State Bureau of Statistics at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Dutse. Governor Umar Namadi unveiled the reports, which covered non-formal education, the education sector, agriculture and the state’s economic performance.

The Non-Formal Education Census covered learners in Islamiyya and Tsangaya schools, adult education and vocational skills programmes. Its findings are expected to guide government reforms and improve access to learning outside the formal education system.

The report also showed significant female participation in non-formal education, with women accounting for 71.1 per cent of adult education learners. Females also made up 1,804 of the 2,462 trainees recorded in vocational and skills development programmes.

Speaking at the event, Namadi said the findings would guide his administration’s efforts to strengthen integrated Tsangaya education, improve learners’ welfare and expand adult literacy and vocational training.

He said the establishment of the Tsangaya Education Board was part of the government’s efforts to advance reforms and improve educational opportunities for learners in the sector.

The governor stressed that reliable statistical information was necessary to identify development gaps, allocate resources efficiently and assess government performance.

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“Statistics are not abstract figures. They are the backbone of socioeconomic planning, the basis for sound decisions and strategic resource allocation, and the means by which we assess performance and ensure accountability for results,” he said.

The 2024/2025 Annual School Census, also unveiled at the event, recorded 1,320,770 pupils in public and private primary schools, including 752,921 girls, representing 57 per cent of total enrollment.

The report documented 999,130 pupils in public primary schools, 214,166 students in public junior secondary schools and 137,795 students in senior secondary schools. Another 167,975 children were enrolled in one-year pre-primary education.

Despite the enrolment figures, the census identified staffing shortages, with pupil-teacher ratios standing at 96:1 in public primary schools, 57:1 in junior secondary schools and 38:1 in senior secondary schools.

It also showed that 84 per cent of public primary school teachers, 83 per cent of junior secondary school teachers and 82 per cent of senior secondary school teachers had the required qualifications.

Namadi said his administration was addressing the gaps through teacher recruitment and regularisation. He cited the recent presentation of appointment letters to 2,020 teachers as part of the efforts.

The Agricultural Structure Survey, which covered 955,410 farming households, found that 943,563 households were involved in crop production, while 705,952 engaged in livestock activities.

However, access to agricultural support services remained limited. Only 7.1 percent of farming households had contact with extension officers, 3.9 percent accessed credit, and 1.9 percent belonged to cooperatives.

The survey further revealed that 91.1 per cent of farming households did not keep farm records, while irrigation adoption stood at 15.1 per cent.

On food security, the report found that 25.2 percent of households were fully food secure, while 34.3 percent experienced severe food insecurity.

The governor said the findings would inform government interventions to expand irrigation, improve access to agricultural finance, strengthen extension services, promote cooperative farming, and accelerate the shift towards commercial agriculture.

Meanwhile, the Jigawa State Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Survey showed that the state’s nominal GDP rose from ₦3.62 trillion in 2019 to ₦5.65 trillion in 2023.

Namadi said the economic data would support investment promotion, economic diversification, job creation, and long-term development planning.

To ensure the findings informed government action, the governor directed the Jigawa State Bureau of Statistics to work with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and relevant ministries, departments, and agencies to incorporate the reports into sector performance reviews, medium-term strategies, and the state budget cycle.

He also directed government institutions to involve the Bureau in major data-gathering exercises, including the design, collection, validation, analysis, and dissemination stages, to prevent duplication, reduce costs, and protect the credibility of official statistics.

“These publications must become working instruments for action—not reports kept on shelves. Their value will ultimately be measured by better schools, wider learning opportunities, more productive agriculture, stronger economic growth, and improved public services,” he said.

The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to evidence-based governance, effective implementation, and accountability in delivering development outcomes for the people of Jigawa State.