Niger Govt Takes Action to Address Rising Number of Out-of-School Children

The Niger State Government implements new measures to tackle the increasing number of out-of-school children, focusing on education access and retention to secure a better future for the youth.

To address the increasing number of out-of-school children in Niger State, a committee has been established by the state government to revive Almajiri education.

During the committee’s visit to Bida, Alhaji Shuaibu Gwada, who is the Chairman of the committee, announced this while meeting with Etsu Nupe and Niger State Traditional Council Rulers’ Chairman Alhaji Abubakar Yahaya.

According to Gwada, the governor formed a committee in order to address concerns regarding Almajiri and children who are not attending school, which has been done by previous administrations.

Over the years, neglect and lack of proper care for children have turned seeking Islamic knowledge through Almajir system into a problem.

The fact that so many children wander the streets instead of pursuing education is a cause for concern.

He stated that if no tangible measures are taken at present, it will lead to grave social insecurity in our nation.

He shared the state government’s apprehensions about children being easily enticed and recruited by criminals to join their ranks. He requested input from traditional leaders on addressing this matter.

The Committee Secretary, Muhammed Usman expressed that the purpose of creating the committee was to revive the Almajir phenomenon in their state.

According to him, the Ulama – a group of learned religious scholars who reside in local communities – met with the committee to assist in spreading awareness about addressing the Almajiri issue promptly and for the benefit of society.

Etsu Nupe praised the governor’s decision to establish the committee and extended congratulations to its members, emphasizing that their upcoming challenge necessitated unwavering devotion.

He believes that the pursuit of Islamic knowledge by children is a right, but it should be regulated as many may engage in begging for up to 25% of their time instead.

Etsu Nupe suggested that initiatives by the government aimed at tackling challenges with Almajiri should be executed under the governor’s office to enable efficient monitoring and supervision.