Govt, Parents, Others Tasks on Improving Welfare of Almajiri Pupils in Bauchi State

(Picture used for Illustrative Purposes Only Please) 

By Bashir Hassan Abubakar

Government at both levels and parents have been called upon to collaborate with community and religious leaders in charting a way forward towards improving welfare of Almajiri pupils in Bauchi State.

The call was made by the Deputy Dean, School of Islamic Studies of College for Legal and Islamic Misau, Dr. Muhammad Abdulkadir, in a presentation during a town hall dialogue meeting of Community and religious leaders organised by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC), with  support from Mac – Arthur Foundation in Bauchi .

Dr. Abdulkadir who said that Almajiri knowledge is an Islamic system of education majorly practiced in northern Nigeria stated that, “the word Almajiri is an Arabic meaning of a person who leaves his abode in search of Islamic knowledge”.

“The best way the government can end the Almajiri street begging is by mainstreaming and modernizing the system to be user friendly”.

“It is not possible to stop the Almajiri system in its entirety as this will pose a threat to national security; it will be perceived as a fight against Islam, therefore,  governments should reform the Almajiri system rather than banning it,” said the Dean.

Dr. Abdulkadir also called on parents of the pupils and community leaders to complement government efforts by providing security and improve the welfare of the Almajiri pupils.

On his part, the Ward Head of Dan Iya in the metropolis, Alhaji Sulaiman Bashir charged the community leaders and parents to provide food and other social amenities in the Almajiri schools in order to stop the pupils from roaming the streets begging for food.

“The Almajiri pupil engages in daily begging for food in order to survive.
Communities should endeavour to donate food items to the teachers and the pupils”.

“This would improve their welfare and put smiles on the faces of both teachers and the pupils,” Bashir said.

Also speaking, the ward head of Wuntin Dada, Alhaji Abass Abdulmumini stressed the need for effective motoring of the Quaranic teachers to avoid child labour activities.

He also cautioned against sending the pupils on faraway errands, adding that this would pose danger due to the level of insecurity being experienced in  some parts of the northern region, where there is high presence of the Almajiri pupils.

Our correspondent reports that the town hall meeting, organised by CISLAC, with support from Mac Arthur Foundation, attracted inputs from religious /community leaders, CSOs, members of the academia and the media.

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