Katsina Introduces N30,000 Monthly Allowance For Rural Teachers

The Katsina State Government has approved a N30,000 monthly allowance for teachers posted to rural communities, as part of efforts to address shortages in hard-to-reach areas.

The incentive was endorsed by the State Executive Council during its 18th regular meeting on Wednesday, chaired by Governor Dikko Radda.

Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education Yusuf Suleiman-Jibia said the allowance—paid once every academic term—aims to improve teachers’ welfare and strengthen their commitment to serving in remote communities.

Suleiman-Jibia also announced the establishment of Teachers’ Development Training Centres in Katsina, Daura and Funtua. The facilities will provide continuous professional training for primary and secondary school teachers, drawing on experts from tertiary institutions and retired education professionals.

The move aligns with recommendations from an education summit held in September by Save the Children International (SCI), with funding from Education Cannot Wait. The summit had highlighted the urgent need to encourage teachers to take up postings in underserved and insecure areas.

Hajiya Raliya Yusuf, Director of Senior Schools in the ministry, said many teachers prefer to remain in urban centres, leaving rural schools critically understaffed. The new incentive, she noted, is intended to reverse that trend.

SCI Programme Manager Atine Lewi welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely and impactful. “This incentive will not only encourage greater commitment among teachers but also motivate them to remain in remote communities where their presence is most crucial,” she said.

Lewi added that the broader interventions represent a deliberate and forward-looking approach to strengthening the state’s education sector.