Abdullahi Ganduje, Kano State governor, has banned Almajiris from begging in the streets of the state.
The governor made this known on Tuesday, during the launching of Basic Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA), and distribution of Offer of Appointment to 7,500 volunteer teachers in the state, as contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Abba Anwar.
According to the governor, the integration of the Almajiri system to the policy will address the lingering problem of the social menace of begging in the state.
He also noted that he took the step, in order to consolidate the free and compulsory primary and secondary school education program.
“This policy of free and compulsory basic and secondary education goes along with it integration of our Almajiri system into the mainstream policy implementation which suggests that, English and Arithmetic must be included in the Almajiri school curriculum.”
“…while they [Almajiris] will continue acquiring their study of the Holy Qur’an, they would at the same time learn English and Arithmetic, that will give them an opportunity to continue with their studies to secondary schools and beyond,” Ganduje explains.
The governor noted that 7,500 newly recruited volunteer teachers will be posted to Islamiyyah and Almajiri schools, “so that our Almajiri schools would be fully integrated under our new policy of education”.
Ganduje warned that all the Almajiri teachers, who do not abide by the new school arrangement, stressing that, “If you think you cannot accept that then you leave the state!”
Also speaking, the minister of education, Adamu Adamu, commended the effort of the state government in the education sector, saying that what the state is doing under the new policy is exemplary.
Adamu was represented by Hasana Liman, a director from the ministry of education.
In his remarks, the state chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board ?SUBEB), Danlami Hayyo, disclosed that apart from construction of new classes and renovation of many, the state government has procured about 16,327 3-Seater chairs for the schools.
