The Gombe State Government has sent 700 almajiris who are non-indigenes studying in Gombe State, to their states of origin across the 19 Northern states.
The state Commissioner for Education, Dr. Habu Dahiru, made this known while speaking with newsmen in Gombe shortly after the take-off of the first batch in Gombe.
He said the first batch of 700 almajiris had been conveyed to their various states in the North in 60 buses accompanied by security personnel with manifests containing their information.
Dr. Dahiru said that the almajiris were also given a cover letter to the Ministry of Education in their respective states.
According to him, this decision of the government is informed by the collective agreement of the Northern Governors’ Forum that all almajiris should be returned to their home states for better management.
He said the 700 were the first batch and subsequently other batches would follow as part of measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
“We had a meeting with teachers of Islamic Almajiri schools in the state to let them know why the decision was taken.
“Primary to tertiary institutions are closed in the country as part of measures to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus. Almajiri schools cannot be an exception,” Dahiru said.
According to him, on Sunday, Nasarawa and Plateau States sent back almajiris, who are Gombe indigenes, studying in their states.
The state coordinator of Better Education Service Delivery for All, BESDA, Dr. Abdullahi Bappah Garkuwa disclosed that the 700 represents the first batch from the over 11,000 almajiris to be returned to their states of origin.
He said all the 700 almajiris on the first batch were duly profiled, screened and sanitized while their mode of transportation took cognisance of covid-19 protocols with each of the 60 buses carrying a maximum of 12 boys.
Culled from NAN with additional inputs