REVIEWING THE ALMAJIRI EDUCATION PROJECT (II)
Reading the first part of this article, a colleague wondered why we still have not been able to rid our streets of almajirai and reform almajiri education. I cited a document that is a road map for tackling the issue.
The comprehensive communiqué released at the end of the one day symposium on almajiri education organised in Sokoto on June 18 2013 should be a reference document for all stake holders who are genuinely interested in addressing the issue. The event was organised by the Usman Danfodio University UDU Consultancy Services and Sokoto State Ministry of Religious Affairs. Participants observed that the almajiri system of education is popular with Muslim communities and it is one of the oldest forms of acquiring knowledge in Northern Nigeria and in some West African countries.
Participants traced the historical aspect of the problem and observed that the destructive activities of the colonialists remain the root cause of the Almajiri problem in Nigeria. The colonialists undermined, neglected and subverted the traditional educational system in the defunct Sokoto Caliphate. Unfortunately, the post-colonial Nigerian State continued on the same track when governments displayed incapacity to control, reform or integrate the system for national development.
The symposium also observed that the persistence of Almajirci can be attributed to structural factors such as poor and inadequate funding of educational sector, absence of political will to address the problem and economic pressures on scarce resources exacerbated by mass rural poverty.
Participants traced the historical aspect of the problem and observed that the destructive activities of the colonialists remain the root cause of the Almajiri problem in Nigeria. The colonialists undermined, neglected and subverted the traditional educational system in the defunct Sokoto Caliphate. Unfortunately, the post-colonial Nigerian State continued on the same track when governments displayed incapacity to control, reform or integrate the system for national development.
The symposium also observed that the persistence of Almajirci can be attributed to structural factors such as poor and inadequate funding of educational sector, absence of political will to address the problem and economic pressures on scarce resources exacerbated by mass rural poverty.
Almajiri system could also be attributed to the high spiritual need for Qur’anic education among the people. Other factors that fuel it are the decline in farming activities in the rural areas during the dry season when people migrate to the cities for livelihood cirani and loss of glory of the certificated secondary school leavers who do not secure jobs to motivate others.
The flexibility and cheapness of the Almajiri school system and its economic benefits derived from menial jobs in urban centres also makes it attractive to rural dwellers. However, the integration of Qur’anic education with modern education systems was noted as a bold and practical reform action by the government and participants noted the Federal Government’s efforts in increasing access for Almajirai through its current Almajiri Education Programme. This falls within the framework of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act 2004, which guarantees the provision of free, compulsory and universal basic education to every child of primary and junior secondary age. It also provides opportunities for skills’ acquisition. However participants noted that the Challenges of the implementation of the Almajiri Integrated Education System are many, and revolve around non availability of relevant curriculum in schools; inadequacy of well trained and qualified teachers; poor funding; inadequate infrastructure for learning; poor sanitation and shelter; lack of adequate sensitisation and mobilisation of critical stakeholders; poor monitoring and evaluation; lack of conducive learning environment; and rejection of the programme by some Malams/proprietors, among others.
The phenomenon of almajirci is a complex one and participants observed that the magnitude of the problems associated with the Almajirci system of education is such that no one State can single-handedly tackle the problems. Indeed the Northern Governors’ Forum had jointly sought to address the issue using the experiences of various states’ almajiri initiatives as point of reference. The symposium reviewed the various projects designed to address almajiri education and recommended as follows:
There is need for the expansion of the Almajiri education system to the rural areas to curtail the incessant migration of Almajirai from rural to urban areas. In a bid to mainstream the Almajiri school system into the conventional formal education and to reduce the attraction of street-begging, the number of Almajiri schools that have been established in various states should be increased and sufficiently funded. One of the criticisms of the mode of implementation of almajiri system of education is the limited consultation with critical stakeholders. Participants therefore recommended that integration of the Almajiri education into the general educational system, should involve wide consultation with key stakeholders, including the Malams/proprietors and parents in the conception and implementation of all Almajiri educational programmes. Facilitation from these stakeholders is not only important but a necessary requirement for the actualisation of the programme.
In his presentation, one of the organisers of the event Professor Gidado Tahir hit the nail on the head when he mentioned the almajiri child as a critical stakeholder.
He said ‘the Almajiri child must be positively engaged by the school. His master teacher has to be part of the decision loop and needs to be supported in any little way as to add some value to what he does with the children. It is foolhardy to expect quick results. After all this institution has been around for hundreds of years and it will take a lot longer time to modify it.’
Participants therefore broadened the list of assignments for stakeholders. A role was identified for the major tertiary institutions in the country which should be involved in the design of the programme curricular and in the monitoring of its implementation. Coordination was also identified as a major activity and participants recommended that ‘there is the need to include and coordinate the efforts of the Federal and State agencies such as Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), State Universal Basic Education Boards and National Commission for Mass Literacy Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC), Arabic and Islamic Education Boards as well as State Ministries of Education and Religious Affairs in all Almajiri education programmes, especially in the areas of recruitment and deployment of well-trained teachers, monitoring and regulation of the programme.’’
The flexibility and cheapness of the Almajiri school system and its economic benefits derived from menial jobs in urban centres also makes it attractive to rural dwellers. However, the integration of Qur’anic education with modern education systems was noted as a bold and practical reform action by the government and participants noted the Federal Government’s efforts in increasing access for Almajirai through its current Almajiri Education Programme. This falls within the framework of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act 2004, which guarantees the provision of free, compulsory and universal basic education to every child of primary and junior secondary age. It also provides opportunities for skills’ acquisition. However participants noted that the Challenges of the implementation of the Almajiri Integrated Education System are many, and revolve around non availability of relevant curriculum in schools; inadequacy of well trained and qualified teachers; poor funding; inadequate infrastructure for learning; poor sanitation and shelter; lack of adequate sensitisation and mobilisation of critical stakeholders; poor monitoring and evaluation; lack of conducive learning environment; and rejection of the programme by some Malams/proprietors, among others.
The phenomenon of almajirci is a complex one and participants observed that the magnitude of the problems associated with the Almajirci system of education is such that no one State can single-handedly tackle the problems. Indeed the Northern Governors’ Forum had jointly sought to address the issue using the experiences of various states’ almajiri initiatives as point of reference. The symposium reviewed the various projects designed to address almajiri education and recommended as follows:
There is need for the expansion of the Almajiri education system to the rural areas to curtail the incessant migration of Almajirai from rural to urban areas. In a bid to mainstream the Almajiri school system into the conventional formal education and to reduce the attraction of street-begging, the number of Almajiri schools that have been established in various states should be increased and sufficiently funded. One of the criticisms of the mode of implementation of almajiri system of education is the limited consultation with critical stakeholders. Participants therefore recommended that integration of the Almajiri education into the general educational system, should involve wide consultation with key stakeholders, including the Malams/proprietors and parents in the conception and implementation of all Almajiri educational programmes. Facilitation from these stakeholders is not only important but a necessary requirement for the actualisation of the programme.
In his presentation, one of the organisers of the event Professor Gidado Tahir hit the nail on the head when he mentioned the almajiri child as a critical stakeholder.
He said ‘the Almajiri child must be positively engaged by the school. His master teacher has to be part of the decision loop and needs to be supported in any little way as to add some value to what he does with the children. It is foolhardy to expect quick results. After all this institution has been around for hundreds of years and it will take a lot longer time to modify it.’
Participants therefore broadened the list of assignments for stakeholders. A role was identified for the major tertiary institutions in the country which should be involved in the design of the programme curricular and in the monitoring of its implementation. Coordination was also identified as a major activity and participants recommended that ‘there is the need to include and coordinate the efforts of the Federal and State agencies such as Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), State Universal Basic Education Boards and National Commission for Mass Literacy Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC), Arabic and Islamic Education Boards as well as State Ministries of Education and Religious Affairs in all Almajiri education programmes, especially in the areas of recruitment and deployment of well-trained teachers, monitoring and regulation of the programme.’’
The symposium also recommended that emphasis should be given to the role parents could play in curtailing the menace of street-begging.
To ensure sustainability of the integration initiative, participants underscored the need for synergy among the three tiers of government in the funding of the programme. In addition, the focus of the integration should be, first, on the empowerment and training of the Malams/proprietors of the Almajiri schools. Poverty has always been cited as a key reason for parents giving their children to itinerant malams and participants urged that the structural problem of abject poverty and other socio-economic ills should be addressed through the introduction and sustenance of empowerment schemes for parents, youth, women and other vulnerable groups. Those who have been supporting were commended. They include development partners such as United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria (ESSPIN), Northern Education Initiative/ United States Agency for International Development (NEI/USAID), Federation of Muslim Women’s Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA)
.
To ensure sustainability of the integration initiative, participants underscored the need for synergy among the three tiers of government in the funding of the programme. In addition, the focus of the integration should be, first, on the empowerment and training of the Malams/proprietors of the Almajiri schools. Poverty has always been cited as a key reason for parents giving their children to itinerant malams and participants urged that the structural problem of abject poverty and other socio-economic ills should be addressed through the introduction and sustenance of empowerment schemes for parents, youth, women and other vulnerable groups. Those who have been supporting were commended. They include development partners such as United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF), Education Sector Support Programme in Nigeria (ESSPIN), Northern Education Initiative/ United States Agency for International Development (NEI/USAID), Federation of Muslim Women’s Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA)
.
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