Most of the Almajiri schools established by the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the northern states are either no longer functional or have been repurposed for other uses, findings by LEADERSHIP on Sunday have revealed.
The schools were established to help reduce or eliminate the number of out-of-school children in the north, particularly in Nigeria as a whole. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported that the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria rose to 18.3 million as of May 2024.
Chief of Bauchi Field Office of UNICEF, Dr. Tushar Rane, disclosed this at a regional stakeholders’ engagement meeting in Gombe on Out-of-School Children and Retention, Transition, and Completion Models in Bauchi, Gombe, and Adamawa states, stating that this puts Nigeria at having the largest number of out-of-school children globally.
As a result, many male children, especially in the northern states, are left to fend for themselves while learning Islamic scriptures without access to formal education.
The Jonathan administration initiated the Almajiri schools program to get these children into schools and check associated social malfeasance.
Jonathan had said he embarked on the Almajiri schools program in the North to infuse a Western education curriculum into Islamic education to check incessant crises and insecurity.
He also emphasised that there cannot be a functional society without a functional education system.
However, investigations by our correspondents showed that many of the schools have either been put out of use or converted to other uses.
Katsina Almajiri School Converted to Hisbah Office
An Almajiri school in Katsina State has been repurposed into a Hisbah Board facility, with part of the premises now used to house rustled animals recovered from bandits.
The school, originally built to provide Islamic and formal education for underprivileged children, was shut down amid shifting government priorities.
It now serves as the operational base for the Katsina State Hisbah Board, responsible for enforcing Islamic morals and supporting security efforts in the state.
Gombe Almajiri Schools Converted, Others Struggle With Shortage Of Teacher
The fate of the Almajiri School facilities in Gombe State tells a mixed story of conversion and lingering challenges.
For instance, in Kwami Local Government, the state government has converted the Almajiri School into a Teachers Institute, shifting the facility’s focus from basic integrated education to training educators.
Similarly, in Funakaye Local Government, the Almajiri School in Bajoga has been repurposed into a campus of Bajoga Polytechnic serving as an extension site for tertiary education rather than the integrated Qur’anic and Western learning for which it was originally intended.
While some facilities have found new life in different roles, others still serve the purpose for which they were built, albeit with constraints.
At the Malam Mohammadu Basakkwace Almajiri School in Gombe metropolis, lessons continue, but the lack of manpower is evident.
One of the senior teachers, Idris Mohammad, told LEADERSHIP on Sunday that the formal school section constructed by the federal government currently has around 600 pupils, while the informal section accommodates roughly 2,000 pupils, mainly Quranic learners.
He noted that the teacher-to-student ratio is alarming, with only 12 teachers serving the formal school and 40 serving the Qur’anic section; among them, just two are government-employed teachers, with the rest being either volunteers or privately funded.
Despite the constraints, Mohammad commended the progress made so far in integrating the two systems of learning.
“We have recorded successes because we graduated several pupils, and now we have a junior secondary section,” he said.
Authorities in the state attribute the conversion of some centres into other institutions to their condition in previous administrations.
“The governor transformed the Kwami Almajiri School into a Teachers’ Institute because the school was abandoned. However, the Mohammadu Basakkwace School is still functioning,” Mallam Abubakar, the Education Secretary of Gombe Local Government, said.
He added that Governor Inuwa Yahaya has constructed more state-owned Almajiri schools across the state.
Zamfara
In Zamfara State, there are two Almajiri schools constructed during Jonathan’s administration: one in Gusau, the state capital, and the other in Kaura-Namoda Local Government Area.
Findings by LEADERSHIP on Sunday revealed that only one of the two in Kaura-Namoda remains functional, while the one in Gusau was converted into Command Girls Secondary School by Governor Abdul’aziz Yari’s administration.
The Kaura-Namoda Almajiri School is being taken care of and financed by the Zamfara State Zakat and Endowment Board under the state Ministry for Religious Affairs.
Niger
In Niger State, seven Almajiri schools were built to integrate formal education with informal Qur’anic education. The Jonathan administration built one each in Kontagora, Pago Paikoro, Bida, and Mokwa, and three others in Minna.
Although the schools were brought under the supervision of Universal Basic Education, none appear to be working according to the framework behind their establishment.
Bauchi
The once-celebrated Tsangaya Model Schools project in Bauchi State, designed to modernize the Almajiri education system, has fallen into ruin without fulfilling its purpose, according to our investigations.
Nasarawa
There were seven Almajiri schools built by the federal government under the Jonathan administration in Nasarawa State. The affected schools were located in Toto, Nasarawa, Akwanga, Lafia, Awe, and Karu local government areas of the state.
LEADERSHIP on Sunday gathered that out of the seven, only two are functional, while five have been converted to other uses.
The two functional schools are located in Ilamingo, Nasarawa, and Toto local government areas, and are being managed by the state government.
One of our correspondents reported that the school in Lafia Local Government Area was initially converted to an Internally Displaced Persons’ camp but was later donated to the Correctional Service.
It was also learned that the school in Akwanga, located in the Ringe community, is now Command Secondary School, while the one in Awe local government is being converted to a Girl Child Education program.
One of our correspondents was referred to the State Universal Basic Education Board by the State Ministry of Education.
The information officer of the board, Malam Gana Lawal, confirmed that the two functional schools are being managed by NSUBEB and are performing well.
Sokoto
The Almajiri Elementary School built by the Jonathan administration, located in the Gagi area of Sokoto State, is still operational.
Despite challenges such as inadequate manpower, ongoing renovation works, and insufficient furniture in classrooms, the school continues to function under the control of the state Ministry of Education.
The school has a significant enrollment every year, with students enjoying free tuition throughout the year.
