FG to Reclaim 157 Abandoned Almajiri Schools

The Federal Government has announced plans to retake control of 157 Almajiri schools built during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. These schools, initially handed over to governors in 19 Northern states, have since fallen into disuse.

Idris Sani, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Commission, revealed this on Wednesday during a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing event with the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA) in Yola, Adamawa State.

Sani stated that efforts are underway to rehabilitate the schools and restore them to their intended purpose.

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“I have directed my Chief of Staff to finalize arrangements for the Federal Government to take over the 157 Almajiri schools built by former President Goodluck Jonathan. These schools have been abandoned by successive administrations, and we have applied for government support to rehabilitate them and resume academic activities. This is part of our commitment to addressing the Almajiri and out-of-school children crisis in Nigeria,” Sani explained.

The commission is collaborating with the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies to deploy staff to the rehabilitated schools, leveraging their expertise and numerical strength to ensure efficient operations.

Collaboration for Education Development
The National Coordinator of CSACEFA, Odinaka Chimbama, expressed her organization's commitment to supporting the commission in reducing the number of out-of-school children.

Chimbama highlighted the chronic underfunding of Nigeria's education sector, urging the federal and state governments to increase budget allocations to meet UNESCO’s recommended 15-20% benchmark.

“Any nation aspiring for development must invest in education. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, even the small budgetary allocations are often mismanaged or not properly utilized,” Chimbama stated.

She also called for transparency and accountability in the management of education funds and emphasized the role of civil society in ensuring effective implementation of government policies.

“Our role is to support government programs, enhance the capacity of our members to hold the government accountable, assist in developing education policies, and ensure their implementation,” she added.

FAQs

• What are Almajiri schools?

Almajiri schools were established to provide formal education and skills training to children from underprivileged backgrounds, particularly in Northern Nigeria.

• Why were these schools abandoned?

The schools were handed over to state governors but suffered neglect due to lack of funding, mismanagement, and inadequate oversight.

• What is the Federal Government’s plan for these schools?

The government intends to rehabilitate the 157 abandoned schools, restore academic activities, and address the Almajiri and out-of-school children crisis.

• Who is supporting the rehabilitation efforts?

The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children is working with the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies and civil society organizations like CSACEFA to ensure the success of the initiative.

• What is the UNESCO benchmark for education funding?

UNESCO recommends that nations allocate 15-20% of their annual budgets to the education sector for sustainable development.