By Francis Sardauna
The wife of the Katsina State Governor, Dr. Hadiza Bello Masari, has kicked against the almajiri system of education, warning that northern Nigeria would be doomed if parents failed to abolish the age-long system of education.
She said the original aim of the almajiri system of education has been neglected, and it has become synonymous with “abandoned children” roaming the streets and begging for alms instead of acquiring Islamic education.
Mrs Masari, at a press conference to mark the International Women’s Day (IWD), added that most of the children roaming the streets under the guise of attending Qur’anic schools as almajiri, are been exposed to numerous health challenges.
THISDAY reports that the state government has concluded plans to repatriate 7,893 almajiri to their respective home states, with 2,052 out of the number are from Niger Republic.
She said: “Most almajiri today sleep on the streets and other places which is against the olden days system of almajiri education. In those days, people benefited from the almajiri system but today there is no gain in it.
“Whoever is saying children should be allowed to enrol in almajiri schools, his children are not into the system. Most of these children move on the streets barefooted. If you look at their clothes you will sympathise with them and most of them are from villages.
“Look at the nature of places where they do sleep; one mallam with 40 children and if there is any outbreak of communicable disease, it will affect all of them because of how they do sleep close to each other. Left to me, I am not in support of almajiri system of education.”
The governor’s wife, however stressed the need for more women to show interest and participate actively in partisan politics in order to address issues affecting them in the country.
