Key takeaways:
- Dars Hausa targets children aged 11 to 16.
- The first series will feature 12 episodes.
- Lessons will be available on TV, radio and digital platforms.
The BBC World Service will launch Dars Hausa on November 17, 2026, expanding its educational programme with lessons for Hausa-speaking children aged 11 to 16 across West Africa.
Dars Hausa to cover core school subjects
BBC Dars Hausa will offer educational content in English, mathematics and science, with lessons delivered in Hausa. The programme will also feature mental health content and inspirational stories to support young learners. Its first series will include 12 episodes designed to provide children with additional learning resources.
BBC News Hausa will produce the programme from its studio in Abuja, Nigeria. The production team includes journalists Aisha Babangida, Ahmad Kabo Idris and Abdulrahman Salihu, with Awwal Ahmad leading the Dars Hausa team.
The programme aims to make educational content easier for children to access in their preferred language. By combining lessons with stories and practical topics, it will offer a range of content for young audiences. Children can follow the programme through broadcast services and online channels.
The launch also adds Hausa to the languages used by Dars, extending the programme’s reach to more learners in West Africa.
Television, radio and digital platforms to carry the programme
BBC News Hausa will broadcast BBC Dars Hausa on Sundays at 05:30 GMT, with a repeat at 19:30 GMT. The programme will also be available through the BBC News Hausa YouTube channel and its social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.
Full episodes will appear in the Courses section of the BBC News Hausa YouTube channel. Radio audiences can listen through medium-wave services and partner FM stations.
This mix of broadcast and digital channels gives children and families different ways to access the lessons. Viewers can follow scheduled broadcasts, while online users can find episodes through the programme’s digital platforms.
The distribution plan also allows the programme to reach audiences who may not regularly watch television. However, access to digital episodes will depend on internet availability, while radio and television offer alternative ways to follow the content.
Dars expands its multilingual education programme
Dars first launched in April 2023 in Pashto and Dari to provide educational content for children in Afghanistan. The programme focuses on core school subjects and includes topical stories to support learning beyond regular lessons.
In February 2025, the BBC introduced an Arabic edition for audiences across the Middle East and North Africa. The Hausa edition will extend the same educational approach to another language community, with content tailored to Hausa-speaking children.
The programme’s expansion reflects the role that television, radio and digital media can play in sharing educational resources across different regions. Providing lessons in familiar languages can help children engage with the material, particularly when language creates a barrier to learning.
BBC Dars Hausa will serve as an additional learning resource for children aged 11 to 16. It will not replace formal schooling, but it will offer another way for young people to access lessons and educational stories outside the classroom.
The November launch will mark the latest step in the BBC World Service’s multilingual education offering, bringing the Dars format to Hausa-speaking audiences in West Africa.