The North East Governors’ Forum (NEGF) has resolved to work closely with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE) to address the challenges of Almajiri and out-of-school children in the subregion.

This resolution was made at the 11th meeting of the Forum held in Damaturu, Yobe State.

The Forum, comprising governors from Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states, with the Deputy Governor representing Bauchi State, reaffirmed its commitment to tackling common issues affecting the subregion.

The Governors’ Forum said it would provide office space in each state, support the enrollment of Almajiri and out-of-school children into formal schools, and offer vocational and technical education.

In his intervention, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children’s Education, Dr. Muhammad Idris, called for urgent action to rescue millions of vulnerable children from the streets.

Dr. Idris said failing to tackle the challenges of Almajiri and out-of-school children risks feeding extremism and other social vices, stressing that investing in their future is the surest path to peace, security, and regional recovery.

The Executive Secretary proposed several recommendations, including the implementation of a modern and standardized curriculum for the subregion, provision of scholarships and teaching materials, introduction of vocational training opportunities, enhanced inter-state collaboration to harmonize approaches and share best practices, as well as strengthening community engagement and ownership of the Almajiri system.

His words: “The Almajiri system, once a cornerstone of traditional Islamic education in Nigeria, has suffered from neglect and diminishing community support, leaving millions of children vulnerable to exploitation.

“The vulnerability of Almajiri and out-of-school children exposes them to recruitment by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups, posing significant security risks that demand a unified regional response.

“Poverty is both a cause and consequence of educational exclusion, and addressing it is critical to ensuring that all Nigerian children have access to quality education.

“Failure to urgently address the challenges facing Almajiri and out-of-school children constitutes a grave threat—not only to the individual states of the North East but to the region and the country as a whole.”