The Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Saidu, has stated that Almajiri children should no longer be classified as out-of-school, given their existing system of Islamic education.
Dr. Saidu made this assertion during an interview on Arise TV while addressing Nigeria’s efforts to tackle its education challenges.
Understanding the Almajiri System
The Almajiri system, deeply rooted in Northern Nigeria, involves guardians sending children to Islamic schools to acquire religious knowledge. Boys in this system are referred to as “Almajiri,” while girls are called “Almajira,” and the plural term is “Almajirai.” Despite its cultural significance, the absence of adequate monitoring has left many Almajirai vulnerable to street begging and exploitation.
Dr. Saidu explained that the Almajiri schools already have a structure, curriculum, and teachers. However, the federal government aims to enhance this system by integrating foundational literacy, numeracy, digital skills, and vocational training into their curriculum.
Redefining Out-of-School Children
Dr. Saidu revealed that the government plans to redefine the term “out-of-school children” to exclude Almajiri students, provided their schools are integrated into the formal education system.
“One of the key issues we’re trying to solve is out-of-school children. We have reforms targeted at re-enrolling these children. Take, for instance, the Almajiri Commission. We are aware that the Almajiri have a system of education with their curriculum and teachers,” she said.
“To ensure that Almajiri fits into the formal system, we aim to provide them with foundational learning, basic literacy, numeracy, aspects of digital training, and skills acquisition,” the minister added.
The Federal Government’s Roadmap for Education Reforms
The federal government launched a comprehensive reform plan in 2024 to address the alarming number of out-of-school children, estimated at 15 million by UNICEF. The roadmap aims to:
- Reduce the out-of-school population by 25% annually, reabsorbing 15 million children by 2027.
- Establish learning centres for accelerated basic education, absorbing 500,000 over-age children annually.
- Operationalise open schooling schemes to provide basic and entrepreneurial skills training for another 500,000 annually.
- Integrate Almajiri schools into the formal education system, ensuring foundational learning and numeracy are incorporated.
Statistics and State Efforts
According to UNESCO, Nigeria’s out-of-school children rate stands at 28 million, with 19.5 million in rural areas and 8.5 million in urban areas. States have begun setting up committees to revitalise Islamic education and absorb their share of out-of-school children into formal education.
The Almajiri Commission
In 2023, the federal government established the Almajiri Commission under the Ministry of Education to address the needs of Almajirai and ensure their inclusion in Nigeria’s conventional school system.
Dr. Saidu’s remarks reflect the government’s commitment to redefining education and ensuring that even traditional systems like the Almajiri are not left behind in Nigeria’s quest for inclusive education.
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