From Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
Sokoto State Arabic And Islamic Education Board with support from UNICEF and Eleva Foundation, on Thursday, 19 December, 2024 graduated 1,897 Almajiri and 1,087 Out of School Adolescent Girls who had been trained on different aspect of skills acquisition for self reliance.
Stating that those trained are from 8 selected local government areas in Sokoto, the Executive Secretary, Arabic and Islamic Board, Alhaji Ahmad Baba Altine, who spoke on behalf of the state Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Tukur Alkali, saidentrepreneurship, vocational and skills acquisition have become inevitable in our schools to guarantee a self-reliant society.
The event, which held at the Sultan Maccido Institute for Qur’anic and General Studies, drew stakeholders from the state ministries of Basic and Secondary Education, Women and Children Affairs, Local Government and Community Development
Addressing graduating adolescent girls in his goodwill message, the Sarkin Yakim Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabi, lamented that the Almajiri system of education has long been bastardized, hence the need for a holistic review.
‘”The current Almajiri as done today is a harmful practice that need to be stopped. We will use effective message to let people know that we must revive Almajiri”. Umar Jabi noted.
While stressing that parents of Almajiri who liter the street begging should be seen as people without conscience, Sarkin Yakim Gagi said, ”’every parent must provide the required support to the malams they are taking their wards to as Almajiri.”
He added that Almajiri were so vulnerable to the extent that the were now been used as informants for bandits, easy recruits for terrorists and engage in social vices by enemies of humanity.
On his part, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111 represented by the Ciroman Sokoto, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, said the time has come to salvage the Almajiri system of education and return it to its lost glory.
The Sultan said: “Almajiri system of education as it is practiced lately has become national menace. Almajiri have turned into beggers. One would be tempted to ask if the parents of these children no longer need them hence sending them to cities to become bad examples of social vices.
“We are appealing to all parents to stop taking their wards far away for Quranic education. There are such schools nearby that you will have the responsibility of keeping an eye over your wards as the Almajiri system of sending their wards away to other places have been overcrowded with multiple challenges lately.”
To the graduating adolescent girls and Almajiri, the Sultan urged them to see themselves as very fortunate to have been given such an opportunity.
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