Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State has warned that parents who
enroll their children into the Almajiri education system stand the
risk of prosecution and up to two years jail.
El-Rufa’i stated this in Kaduna on Monday when he visited some
200 Almajiri children repatriated from Nasarawa State and
undergoing rehabilitation and optical screening at Government
College, Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna.
Almajiri are children enrolled to be taught Islamic knowledge
under Islamic Clerics, but who loiter on the streets with bowls
begging for alms and food.
The governor also said that any Islamic cleric who enrolls any
child into the Almajiri system would also be prosecuted and jailed
as well as fined N100,000 or N200,000 per child.
He said that all the Almajiri pupils repatriated from other
states of the country were indigenes of the state adding that the
government would give them all the opportunity they deserved to
grow and develop.
El-Rufai expressed satisfaction with the ongoing transformation
of the Almajiri pupils from hopelessness to hope and
confidence.
According to him, the state has a responsibility to do whatever
it can to give them hope and a better future.
“We will, therefore, continue to take delivery of every Almajiri
pupil indigenous to Kaduna state for rehabilitation, treatment and
enrollment into formal school nearest to where their parents
live.
“We will continue to do this until we clear Kaduna state of the
menace of Almajiri system, which is not education but the abuse of
the privilege and future of a child.
“Our ultimate goal is for them to acquire formal education
without depriving them of the opportunity to acquire Quranic
education.
“They will continue their Quranic education but under the care
of their parents and not under someone who does not know them or
paid to look after them.”
He explained that the Ministry of Human Services and Social
Development (MHSSD), along with UNICEF would closely monitor them
and ensure that no child would leave his locality until he finished
primary and junior secondary school.
The governor stressed that every child in Kaduna state must get
12-year free and compulsory primary and secondary school
education.
“Those that cannot proceed to senior secondary school will have
the opportunity to go to vocational school, also free.
“As such, no parent has any excuse for his child not to go to
school,” El-Rufa’i said.
He thanked MHSSD and other state agencies for the commitment and
passion for the welfare of the children.
He equally thanked AMA foundation and other NGOs and civil
societies for supporting the government to provide the Almajiri
pupils with the needed medical care, food, and clothing, among
others.
The governor particularly appreciated UNICEF for supporting the
state government in ensuring that all the repatriated children were
well documented.
El-Rufa’i said that the care and support provided had restored
the sense of dignity of the children.
Also speaking, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, Commissioner, MHSSD, said
that the state had so far received more than 900 Almajiri pupils
from Kano, Bauchi, Plateau and Nasarawa states.
Baba said that no fewer than 500 of them were rehabilitated,
treated (those who tested positive to COVID-19) and reunited with
their families.
She added some 400 others were still undergoing rehabilitation
and would soon be reunited with their families.
On his part, Dr Zakari Adam, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF
Kaduna, commended Kaduna state government for the efforts to ensure
that all children go to school as against begging in the
streets.
Adam reiterated UNICEF’s continued support to the state in all
children-related issues such as child protection, education, and
health among other areas, for uninterrupted growth and development
of every child.
He stressed the need for all stakeholders, the government, civil
society, parents, communities, religious and traditional leaders
and the media to work together in ensuring that children acquired
quality education.
Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State has warned that parents who
enroll their children into the Almajiri education system stand the
risk of prosecution and up to two years jail.
El-Rufa’i stated this in Kaduna on Monday when he visited some
200 Almajiri children repatriated from Nasarawa State and
undergoing rehabilitation and optical screening at Government
College, Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna.
Almajiri are children enrolled to be taught Islamic knowledge
under Islamic Clerics, but who loiter on the streets with bowls
begging for alms and food.
The governor also said that any Islamic cleric who enrolls any
child into the Almajiri system would also be prosecuted and jailed
as well as fined N100,000 or N200,000 per child.
He said that all the Almajiri pupils repatriated from other
states of the country were indigenes of the state adding that the
government would give them all the opportunity they deserved to
grow and develop.
El-Rufai expressed satisfaction with the ongoing transformation
of the Almajiri pupils from hopelessness to hope and
confidence.
According to him, the state has a responsibility to do whatever
it can to give them hope and a better future.
“We will, therefore, continue to take delivery of every Almajiri
pupil indigenous to Kaduna state for rehabilitation, treatment and
enrollment into formal school nearest to where their parents
live.
“We will continue to do this until we clear Kaduna state of the
menace of Almajiri system, which is not education but the abuse of
the privilege and future of a child.
“Our ultimate goal is for them to acquire formal education
without depriving them of the opportunity to acquire Quranic
education.
“They will continue their Quranic education but under the care
of their parents and not under someone who does not know them or
paid to look after them.”
He explained that the Ministry of Human Services and Social
Development (MHSSD), along with UNICEF would closely monitor them
and ensure that no child would leave his locality until he finished
primary and junior secondary school.
The governor stressed that every child in Kaduna state must get
12-year free and compulsory primary and secondary school
education.
“Those that cannot proceed to senior secondary school will have
the opportunity to go to vocational school, also free.
“As such, no parent has any excuse for his child not to go to
school,” El-Rufa’i said.
He thanked MHSSD and other state agencies for the commitment and
passion for the welfare of the children.
He equally thanked AMA foundation and other NGOs and civil
societies for supporting the government to provide the Almajiri
pupils with the needed medical care, food, and clothing, among
others.
The governor particularly appreciated UNICEF for supporting the
state government in ensuring that all the repatriated children were
well documented.
El-Rufa’i said that the care and support provided had restored
the sense of dignity of the children.
Also speaking, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, Commissioner, MHSSD, said
that the state had so far received more than 900 Almajiri pupils
from Kano, Bauchi, Plateau and Nasarawa states.
Baba said that no fewer than 500 of them were rehabilitated,
treated (those who tested positive to COVID-19) and reunited with
their families.
She added some 400 others were still undergoing rehabilitation
and would soon be reunited with their families.
On his part, Dr Zakari Adam, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF
Kaduna, commended Kaduna state government for the efforts to ensure
that all children go to school as against begging in the
streets.
Adam reiterated UNICEF’s continued support to the state in all
children-related issues such as child protection, education, and
health among other areas, for uninterrupted growth and development
of every child.
He stressed the need for all stakeholders, the government, civil
society, parents, communities, religious and traditional leaders
and the media to work together in ensuring that children acquired
quality education.