Borno gov’t  mutes establishment of board for Almajiri education

The Borno state government has today received a committee report which suggested the establishment of a board to rebate the Almajiri Quranic Education system.

A committee was set up in November 2020 to look into the challenges faced by the local Quranic schools popularly known as Ysangaya, with a view to unraveling the problems and profiling a best way out for engaging the Almajris in formal learning environment.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum had on Tuesday received a 76-page report which recommended the establishment of Sangaya Education Board that should coordinate, reforms and regulate the Almajiri system of education in the state.

According to a press statement shared with The Humanitarian Times, the report was presented to Governor Zulum on Tuesday in his Maiduguri office.

The committee which had members from all Islamic denominations, was chaired by Khalifa Aliyu Ahmad Abulfatahi.

After series of deliberations that involved public hearings and intellectual submissions by diverse stakeholders, the committee came up with its report.

Sheikh Abulfatahi, said a regulatory board was being recommended, with a responsibility “for implementing far reaching recommendations of the committee which would include key government policies. 
Receiving the report, Governor Zulum expressed appreciation to the committee for their thorough and outstanding work. 

Governor Zulum assured the committee that the report will be studied thoroughly and appropriate measures would be put in place in accordance with the committee’s recommendations. 
Zulum suggested the possibility on leveraging the Federal Government’s Vocational Education Framework, by collaborating with the National Board For Technical Education in ways that aligns with his administration’s ongoing efforts of streamlining formal and informal education to enable eligible graduates of the Sangaya system qualify for access to higher educational institutions.

Borno state, is best recognised for a history of learning of Quranic knowledge. Every years hundreds of kids, some underaged are shipped into the state from across the country, to learn the Holy Book and some levels of Islamic theology.

Sadly, the system of Tsangaya got abused and children sent from afar to learn gradually became street beggars and hoodlums.