Almajiri Schools, An Achievement In The North – UBEC
The Universal Basic Education Commission has said the establishment of Tsangaya Model Schools in the northern part of the country by the Federal Government is a deliberate effort to deal with the menace of Almajiri phenomenon in the region.
A statement on Wednesday in Abuja by the Public Relations Officer of UBEC, Mr David Apeh, quoted the Executive Secretary of the commission, Dr. Dikko Suleiman, as saying the establishment of Tsangaya Schools, initially called Almajiri Model Schools, in the North had significantly improved the life style of the children in the North.
According to recent reports, there is over 10.5 million Nigerian school-age children that are out of school, with the large number of these children coming from the North.
A majority of these out-of-school children in the North are the Almajiris, commonly found on the streets and highways, begging for alms and food.
Suleiman, according to Apeh, spoke while inspecting some projects at the Government Girls Junior Secondary School in Shema, Dutsin-ma LGA and Government Girls Junior Secondary School, Dutsin-Safe in Kaita LGA of Katsina State.
The Federal Government, under President Goodluck Jonathan, had established over 125 Almajiri Model Schools in 13 states of the North, constructed by both the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and UBEC.
Suleiman said the Tsangaya Model Schools, among other things, would ensure the integration of the elements of basic education into the Qur’anic school system, where pupils are imparted with knowledge and skills beyond Qur’anic recitation.
He explained further that this would enable them to integrate effectively into the Federal Government’s Universal Basic Education programme.
The UBEC boss commended Jonathan for giving priority to education as encapsulated in his transformation agenda and improved funding for the sector.
The Executive Secretary said the Boy-Child Education was aimed at integrating the out-of-school boys in the South-East and South-South geo- political zone into the UBE programme.
Culled from PunchNg
