Federal govt to partner states on almajiri education – Uwais

The Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, Mrs. Mariam Uwais has explained that the federal government was willing to partner the northern state governors in ensuring that the almajiri child is given a smooth transition from the Almajiri system to formal education.

Mrs Uwais stated this yesterday during a meeting with traditional rulers, community leaders and stakeholders on tsangaya education and out-of-school children in Gombe.

She said the initial plan was to ensure that proper data is generated so that the children would be kept in a school environment for about six to nine months and be given intense basic education and skills to enable them fit into the new perspective, which will prepare them for the classroom and formal school system.

She said the children will learn literacy, numeracy and entrepreneurship, and vocational education.

Uwais said that those who are a bit older and may want to go into trade and other vocations will also be trained to do so.

She said taking care of such schools is the responsibility of the State Governments but the Federal Government is willing to assist in order to give the young children a brighter future.

State Programme Coordinator of Better Education and Service Delivery for All (BESDA) Dr Abdullahi Bappah said research carried out has shown that over 70 percent of people begging on the streets are not almajiri learning the recitation and memorisation of holy Quran.