By Juliet Aliwo.
Yola, Adamawa State – The Federal Government plans to reclaim control of 157 Almajiri schools established under former President Goodluck Jonathan, which were subsequently abandoned after being transferred to the 19 Northern states.
This was announced by Idris Sani, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children, during a Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony with the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA) in Yola, Adamawa State.
Sani revealed that the commission is working to rehabilitate these schools and restore their original purpose. He stated, “I have instructed my Chief of Staff to finalize arrangements for the takeover of these 157 Almajiri schools across the country. We have also submitted a request to the Federal Government for assistance in rehabilitating them to enable the resumption of normal academic activities as part of our efforts to address the challenges of Almajiri and out-of-school children.”
Sani emphasized the need for collective action to resolve the crisis of Almajiri and out-of-school children, noting that the commission is collaborating with the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies to deploy staff to the rehabilitated schools due to their significant number.
CSACEFA Calls for Increased Education Funding
Odinaka Chimbama, National Coordinator of CSACEFA and Policy Advisor, expressed their commitment to supporting the commission in reducing the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
Chimbama expressed concern over inadequate funding in the education sector, urging both the federal and state governments to increase education budgets to meet UNESCO’s recommended benchmark of 15-20%.
“Any nation aspiring to develop must invest in education,” she stated. “Unfortunately, in Nigeria, even the meager funds allocated to the sector are not properly accounted for or utilized.”
Chimbama further called for transparency and accountability in the disbursement and use of education funds.
“Our mission is to support government programs and policies, enhance the capacities of our members to hold the government accountable for education programs and policies, assist the government in developing education policies, and ensure the effective implementation of these policies,” she added.
