Bashir Ahmad, former Special Assistant on Digital Communications to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has called for Almajiri schools to receive the same level of support and structure as boarding schools to address the challenges facing children in the system.
Ahmad made this statement in a tweet on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, aligning with the position of the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Saidu, who advocated that Almajiri children should not be classified as out-of-school.
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The term “Almajiri,” derived from Hausa, traditionally describes children seeking Quranic knowledge away from home. However, it has become synonymous with street begging and the absence of formal education.
According to Ahmad, recognizing the Almajiri system as a form of education and integrating it into the national educational framework could significantly reduce the number of out-of-school children in northern Nigeria.
“The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Saidu, is absolutely correct that Almajiri children should not be classified as out-of-school children, as the Almajiri is a system of Islamic education. However, I believe the best way to address this is by integrating the Almajiri education system into our national educational framework or ensuring it is officially recognized by the system,” he said.
He further stated, “Once this is achieved, the northern states could become those with the lowest numbers of out-of-school children, as it is rare to find a child in the north who does not attend either formal or Islamic school.”
Ahmad argued that the visibility of Almajiri children on the streets stems from inadequate support for their schools. “If Almajiri schools were given treatment in terms of support and structure similar to that of boarding schools, the narrative would change entirely,” he noted.
