In continuation of our “Memos to the Sultan Committee on Almajiri” we today forward the submission of the Kano-based Islamic Development Network (IDN) submitted by its Coordinator Dr. Ibrahim Suleiman ([email protected]) of Kebbi State University, Aliero. The title of IDN’s presentation to the Sultan was “THE NEED TO ESTABLISH QUR’ANIC EDUCATION COMMISSION” and is here edited for space:
The traditional system of Qur’anic Education in Nigeria, consisting of Makarantun Allo and Tsangaya, has remained an area of great concern for the Islamic Development Network (IDN). The system is geared towards teaching Muslim children how to recite and memorise the Holy Qur’an as a prelude to going into other branches of Islamic Knowledge. The system is facing a lot of challenges varying from the poor physical infrastructure that exists in most of the schools to limited curricula to the lack of recognition of products of the system down to the very deplorable welfare conditions of the millions of Almajirai all over Northern Nigeria.
Flowing from the above scenario, the IDN established goals on the Almajiri crisis, including: To identify the causes of child begging and destitution in the community and provide solutions to combat the problem(s); To create awareness via enlightenment among the Qur’anic school teachers (Allarammas) and the public on the menace of child begging; To collaborate with governments, NGOs, community leaders and parents in teaching child-beggars dependable trades and crafts; and To establish a functional and sustainable IDN Islamic model school (Tsangaya).
Consequent upon this, therefore, on Saturday December 19th, 2015 (8th Rabi’u Awwal 1437), the IDN organised a special retreat on “Almajirci System of Education in Nigeria and Emerging Challenges” at Bayero University, Kano. Speakers were drawn from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto and Bayero University Kano.
Analyses of the various papers presented at the IDN Retreat suggested that there is need for a total collaboration between the various stake holders (governments, NGOs, traditional rulers, philanthropists, researchers, Islamic scholars, and parents) so as to address this menace. Although the Federal Government initiated a laudable programme on Almajirci education, the pervasiveness of the situation of Almajirai demands that more needs to be done.
Retreat speakers and participants discussed extensively on the following: An overview of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve the Almajirci system of education to tackle illiteracy and poverty in Nigeria; The vulnerability of children in the Almajirci system of education towards participation in insurgency; Curriculum review of Almajirci system of education through integration of Qur’anic education and Ajami with the conventional system of education to improve reading, writing and general communication skills; and Effort towards eliminating supply chain and migration of children between states in the Almajirci system of education to improve efficiency (admission, registration, retention and exit strategy).
The general recommendations, as discussed by the various stakeholders, are that: The Federal Government should establish a full-fledged commission for Almajirci Education in the style of the National Primary Education Commission (NPEC); States and Local Governments which have the responsibility for providing Basic Education should work towards the proper implementation of the Almajirci Education programme to be designed by the suggested commission; As a strategy for enrolment and retention, there is need for direct intervention on feeding programme for the Almajirai by the State Governments as already provided in the National Policy on Education (2013) as well as UBE Act of 2004.
Other recommendations from the Retreat include: State Governments should encourage communities and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to support the programme; Governors should be requested and urged to provide pieces of land for the construction of Madrassah schools in future within the vicinity of Tsangayas, and not far away from the existing Tsangayas; The Federal Government should continue with its intervention programme of constructing at least one hundred (100) Model Madrassah schools annually as promised by the former President; Tertiary institutions should be encouraged and supported to carry out researches for the improvement of Almajirci Education and also set up programmes that will absorb graduates of these schools.
Furthermore, Retreat participants recommended that: The Federal and State Governments should provide vocational skills and acquisition centers for the training of Almajirai so as to make them self-reliant; Massive advocacy and sensitization campaigns on the Almajirci Education programme should be intensified in order to create the needed awareness among all the stakeholders. In particular, there should be a sustained awareness campaign aimed at sensitizing all stakeholders on the problems of allowing children to become beggars and convincing them that children can acquire qualitative Qur’anic education through better ways; Governments should encourage communities to take active part in the establishment, funding, operation and maintenance of Almajirci schools.
Again, it was recommended that the suggested Commission research into the underlying causes and sustaining factors behind the existence and prevalence of bara (begging) and the Almajirci system that underpins it; Design suitable programmes and appoint competent scholars to write and deliver speeches on Bara and Almajirci; Work with state governments on concerted and simultaneous strategies to squarely address the problems of Bara and Almajirci including the need for laws to regulate the movement of itinerant teachers of traditional Qur’anic schools; Revisit the functions of traditional leaders (Hakimai, Dagatai and Masu Unguwanni) in strengthening security at the local levels.
Develop and implement extensive skill development programmes for the products of traditional Qur’anic schools in order to widen their job opportunities and thereby improve their living conditions; Carry out research to identify the enormity of the numbers of the products of traditional Qur’anic schools who are members of insurgent groups with a view to work out suitable ways of disassociating them from these groups and preventing future occurrence of such trends; Carry out a comprehensive baseline study that will provide useful data about the number of almajiri schools by State, Local Government Area and town/ village/ hamlet in the Northern States, the types of schools and the migration patterns in the almajiri schools; Government to enact and enforce legislation that would result in cutting the supply chain and taming inter-state migration associated with the Almajirci system.
The Retreat finally prays that President Muhammadu Buhari may wish to present a Bill to the National Assembly, proposing the establishment of the “NATIONAL QURANIC EDUCATION COMMISSION (NAQUREC)”; That an appropriate state counterpart of the Commission should be established at stakeholder states to be called “STATE QURANIC EDUCATION COMMISSION (SQUREC)” with a view to coordinating the activities of the Quranic schools at state level. The proposed commissions’ funds should come from contributions, taken at source, from subventions of the Federation Account owned by the Local Government Areas (LGAs) of respective states with predominant Muslim populations in the country.
The two proposed Commissions should be given the following duties as part of their responsibilities: Conduct a baseline survey of all the existing Qur’anic schools to know the total population of students and teachers and their current infrastructure development levels; Produce and maintain a database of the base line survey findings, for current and future planning purposes.
The two commissions should prepare a dynamic curriculum for teaching in such a manner that those who graduate from the schools could be absorbed into an advanced Qur’anic learning institutions, or such other schools at higher levels, with similar orientations for continuity; The Commissions should be responsible for the payment of some approved remunerations to the teachers at certain defined and approved intervals of time. The Commissions were to be saddled with the responsibility of developing and managing the infrastructural facilities of the Quranic schools in the respective LGAs of its coverage.
Mr. President, we also pray so, and amin.
