Kano to enrol Almajiri children in public schools

Determined to reduce out-of-school children in Kano, Governor Abdullah Umar Ganduje pledged to evacuate almajiri children from the streets to public schools.

Governor Ganduje disclosed the plan while flagging off distribution of instructional materials worth N150 million to public primary and secondary public schools in the state.

Ganduje said the policy targeted to reduce the increasing number of out-of-school children as part of its free and compulsory education policy.

there are about 12 million out-of-school children across northern Nigeria, with Kano accounting for 3 million. Ganduje had attributed the high number to an influx of almajiri children migrating from other states.

Ganduje affirmed readiness to fully enforce the implementation of free and compulsory education. He said about 98 per cent primary school’s teachers now met basic teaching requirement.

“Our commitment to effective and full implementation of the free and compulsory education knows no bound,” he said.

“Our government has resolved to zero tolerance to out-of-school children. That is why we took bold steps to ensure our primary school teachers have undergone the basic teaching qualification. We can reliably say we have about 98 per cent qualified teachers in our primary schools.

“Today, we are distributing instructional materials to make the policy on free education smooth. Now, no children in our public schools will make any payment. We have taken statistics of basic needs and very soon, we shall start the rehabilitation of public schools and build additional new ones”. Ganduje affirmed.

Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Mohammad Sanusi Saidu Kiru urged teachers in public schools to remain dedicated to their entrusted duties. He disclosed that the government will no longer tolerate indolence and abscond from the class henceforth.