From "FG to Disburse Funds for Construction of Almajiri Schools" by Favour Nnabugwu, 10 November 2011
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The Federal Government will this week mobilise contractors for the immediate commencement of almajiri schools across states of the North and selected states of the South.
Minister of State for Education, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike in Yola recently after inspecting Girl Child Schools under construction by Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, in Adamawa State, said that funds for the construction of the Almajiri schools would be released to contractors this week.
Wike noted that President Goodluck Jonathan is committed to enhancing access to quality education amongst less privileged Nigerians.
For years now, the menace of idle children and youths roaming the streets begging all in the name of acquiring education has been a source of concern for policy makers in Nigeria.
Recent studies conducted by the Ministerial Committee on Madrasah Education puts the population of Almajari at about 10 million.
It therefore becomes obvious that for Nigeria to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Education for All (EPA) goals, there is the need for an accelerated intervention by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
The Integrated Almajari Education is essentially designed by the Federal Government under President Goodluck Jonathan to integrate the Islamic School system to provide quality education for these target population.
In order to achieve this, the Jonathan Goodluck administration put in place a policy framework which focuses on two critical levels.
The first is engagement with the rationalisation of the existing traditional system of Islamic education with a view to addressing existing problems and challenges, consolidating achievements and expanding opportunities for the growth and development of the system.
The commitment demonstrated by government in setting up an Implementation Committee on Almajari education is highly appreciated.
At various levels, stakeholders especially governments of the affected Northern States have devised various ways to deal with the social pandemic with little or no success inspite of their policy intervention.
The Minister said that the foundation laying ceremony for the construction of the Almajiri schools will be performed by President Jonathan in Sokoto in the coming weeks.
He said: "The funds for the construction of the Almajiri schools are available and the Federal Government is committed to completing these schools on schedule".
He commended UBEC for the progress made in the construction of Girl Child Education schools across Northern Nigeria.
At the Federal Government Girls College, Yola, the Minister expressed dissatisfaction with the environment of the school.
