A community in Jigawa State has taken a bold step against an Islamic cleric who preached against Western education and discouraged children from enrolling in conventional schools.
Ado Yakubu, a member of the Jigawa State House of Assembly, revealed that the cleric was expelled by traditional leaders after consultations. The decision aimed to address the problem of out-of-school children in the community.
Yakubu highlighted other obstacles hindering children’s enrollment, including inter-community rivalry, lack of schools in some communities, personal grudges between parents and village heads, and long distances to access water, preventing children from attending school.
To tackle these challenges, the community has identified 43 villages with high numbers of out-of-school children, provided boreholes to reduce water-related issues, engaged nomadic communities to enroll their children in school, and trained teachers to improve learning outcomes.
Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi has demonstrated commitment to education by employing 3,233 permanent teachers in his first year, recruiting an additional 3,000 teachers, and targeting 5,000 new teacher recruits in 2025.
UNICEF’s education specialist, Muntaka Mohammed, praised the state government’s efforts, noting that Jigawa ranks eighth in out-of-school children. The organization aims to reduce this number through collaborative initiatives.
The expulsion of the cleric and community-led initiatives demonstrate a commitment to education and addressing the root causes of out-of-school children. This grassroots approach, combined with government support, aims to ensure every child’s right to education.
