Reps move to establish Commission for Almajiri Education in Nigeria

JONAS EZIEKE, Abuja

The House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education and Services has held a one-day public hearing on the need to for the establishment of a National Commission for Almajiri Education in Nigeria to tackle the problems associated with it wholistically nationwide.

To this end, the House Committee had invited, engaged and brainstormed with major stakeholders in education to brainstorm on the way forward for Almajiri education in the country and promised to tackle the challenge through legislation.

Chairman of the House Committee Hon.Prof Julius Ihonvbere gave the assurance in opening remarks at the public hearing organised at the National Assembly to address the issues.

The hearing was titled “A Bill for an Act to  Establish the National Commission for Almajiri Education and Out of School Children to Provide for a Multimodal System of Education to Tackle the Menace of Illiteracy, Develop Skills Acquisition, Prevent Youth  Poverty, Delinquency and Destination in Nigeria; And for Related Matters’.

He said that the issue of Almajiri in Nigeria is a demonstration of the failure of leadership in our country and the vexatious issue of misgovernance by our political leaders.

The erudite professor of political history further said that there are 10.1 million-of-school children in the country and lamented that most schools do not have perimeter fences, boreholes and some other necessary infrastructures.

He pointed out the issue of Almajiri had resulted in so many criminal activities by these out-of-school children, especially in the northern part of Nigeria and added that the government would not be able to save us from the problems associated with it if not tackled.

Speaker of the House. Hon.Femi Gabjabiamila who was represented by the Deputy House Leader Hon.Peter Akpatasonon also said that education goes to the heart of most of the nation’s major challenges

He added that no child should be denied the opportunity of education even as called for a review of issues in public education in the country for the benefit of the citizens.

At the hearing, the Federal Ministry of Education said that the ministry is not in support of the establishment of a commission to be in charge of Almajiri education in the country.

The Minister of Education Mallam Adamu  who was represented by the Director of Legal Services in the Ministry Mr. Ibrahim Kashim said that many many ministries ministries agencies are not funded properly due to duplication of such agencies

Nonetheless, the  other stakeholders including a former governor of Niger State Dr. Babangida Aliyu and a former speaker of the House Hon.Ghalili Na”Abba in their submissions said that there is a need for a commission for Almajiri education in Nigeria

For a better society

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