Almajiri children were handed over to Islamic Sheikhs by their parents for Quranic recitation, but deprived western education.
By Ishaya Inrahim, News Editor
The majority of the 13.5 million out-of-school children in Nigeria are in the North, and they are the Almajiri children whose parents handed them over to an Islamic Sheik for Quranic recitation, but deprived western education.
The former administration headed by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan built schools exclusively for the Almajiri Children to educate them in both Quranic recitation and western education. But the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari jettisoned the policy, a situation that has increased the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
Curiously the federal government says it is providing training for almajiri children on computer networking and other programmes as part of its plans to attain 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) director-general Kashufu Abdullahi disclosed this known on Sunday at the graduation ceremony of 50 children, including 10 almajiri children at the Engausa Global Tech Hub in Kano.
The Engausa Global Tech Hub is an incubation centre currently working with NITDA in Kano.
”So, we have launched many initiatives to train people. In 2021 alone, we have trained close to 200,000 Nigerians in different areas of digital literacy,” he said. “These young children have been intensively trained at their early stage, using the Hausa language in building their skills in digital technology, computer networking, among others.”
The NITDA boss added that one of the agency’s mandates “is to implement the policy under the National Digital Economy Policy for digital Nigeria” to achieve 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030.
“You know the government cannot do it alone. We need to partner with centres like Engausa to achieve this. We are also looking at how we can assist the children who have participated in this programme to start their own businesses,” the director-general said.
Earlier, the founder of the centre, Mustapha Ringim, said the centre was out to bridge the productivity gap in young people, especially those who cannot make it to formal schools.
“I realised that there are a lot of things that I can offer to the community concerning breaking some barriers and bridging some gaps which are limiting the productivity of our youth at the grassroots,” explained Mr Ringim. “Especially the Almajiri children and the school-drop outs who cannot continue their studies due to lack of proficiency in the English Language, among other things. Language should not be a barrier to achieving one’s dream.”