The Katsina state Government on Sunday disclosed plans to partner Non-Governmental Organizations, NGOs, and the Federal Government to take Almajiri pupils and homeless Children off the streets and begging for arms by formalizing the Islamic system of education.
The State Governor Aminu Bello Masari made the above disclosure while playing host to an Islamic sect named ‘Maj’mau Durqu Rufiyaa’, saying he sees no reasons why a child would be left by his parents to unknown destinations in a quest for knowledge and endangering his life, whereas it is the sole responsibility of his parents to care for him.
The Governor further stressed the need to restructure the Almajiri system of education in the state by taking statistics of the pupils, and ascertaining their status while introducing western knowledge particularly mathematics and English language lessons.
He said “children sent to Islamic schools from their homes will not benefit from the scheme but the ones we are targeting are those ones that left their villages, States and what have you, found themselves in the schools, they are the ones for the intervention. We want to introduce English and mathematics to them so that they can know how to learn skills as they grow’’.
“The essence is to change the narrative in the state that over 900,000 children are out of school. We will make assessment from various schools to know those who are not from the state and those that are indigenes.”
While urging sect to support the program in seeing the light of the day he noted that education is the key to a successful living, adding that the precarious situation the state has found itself was as a result of illiteracy and drug abuse, hence the need for Muslim clerics to rise up the challenge to address them.
He said “As a leader, you have great roles to play with the teachers in your respective schools by drawing their attention on this. Nobody will be given money, apart from the food that would be shared and it is only those that are there that will be given’’.
Earlier, leader of the sect, Sheik Abubakar Caranci, thanked the Governor for the warm reception and expressed plans to unite their followers and execute key major projects including education, healthcare services, among others.