Almajiri

Community leaders, Muslim clerics and rights groups have canvassed the need for the government to provide the same measure of support being given to children in circular learning to the Almajiri.

The stakeholders, who harped on provision of formal education to the Islamic students, emphasised the importance of the Almajiri in the society, being the carrier of the Quran.

According to them, it is unfortunate that the Almajiri in Nigeria are neglected.

During a stakeholders’ engagement organised by the Almajiri Child Right Initiative (ACRI), yesterday, in Abuja, a chief in Tudun-Fulani Community in Dei-Dei area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abubakar Kanika, maintained that most successful people in the North attended Almajiri schools to gain knowledge in religious studies.

Kanika emphasised the need for the government to support Almajiri schools by creating a good learning environment for them, adding that parents sending their wards to the schools must also provide them with learning needs.

Community women leader, Malaba Balaraba, said they welcome any government or stakeholder that supports them, adding that the Almajiri also have rights like any other child, as they are Nigerians.

“Government must realise that the Almajiri are normal children like others. Learning of the Holy Quran is the most important thing to do,” she stated.

She urged the government to support the Almajiri by providing them with teachers, textbooks, uniforms, writing materials, computers among others, adding that supporting the Almajiri would go a long way in developing the North.

A teacher in one of the Almajiri schools with about 750 students, Mohammed Jaffa, said he tried as much as possible to teach the students both formal and Islamic education.