Al-Mustapha Academy: Educational transformation through an Iranian varsity

The presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the developing world in the area of scholarship seems to be bringing transformation and some Iranian culture in the form of language, and expertise to the developing world. In collaboration with Al-Mustapha International University in Qom, Iran, and a Kano-based charity through which the activities are […]

The presence of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the developing world in the area of scholarship seems to be bringing transformation and some Iranian culture in the form of language, and expertise to the developing world.
In collaboration with Al-Mustapha International University in Qom, Iran, and a Kano-based charity through which the activities are being coordinated, an Islamic academy called Al-Mustapha International Academy was established in Suleja, Niger State, offering free education in Qur’anic sciences and other courses.
 Al-Mustapha International University Qom, which the academy in Suleja is affiliated to, is a UNESCO registered and recognised institution offering educational assistance to the less privileged in many countries in the developing world.
 Daily Trust gathered that the academy was established in Suleja in 2012 following a request by a group of traditional Qur’anic students called Anwarul-Thaqalyn. The group owns a Markaz (a place where people converge to study Islam) in Suleja.
   It was learnt that the group requested for a school that will be offering courses in Qur’anic Sciences, Hadith and other branches of Islamic scholarship free of charge to be established in Suleja. Following the development, an Islamic foundation based in Kano, Darul-Thaqalayn established Al-Mustapha International Academy to meet their demands as well as that of others who wish to attend the academy.
 The school is an open school for every Muslim regardless of his sect provided he/she possesses the requirements, one of the lecturers, Idris Tijjani Samari, told our reporter.
 The academy started with 45 students as pioneers before an additional 45 students were admitted the following year as the second set. The school is presently processing for accreditation of all its programmes by the National Universities Commission (NUC). Plans are also in the pipeline to partner with some Nigerian universities to run other programmes.
 Presently, the management of the school is in talks with Bayero University, Kano (BUK) and other universities in the country for the running of some programmes with the universities.
According to Samari, although Farsi (the Iranian language) is being taught as an optional language course, it was mainly for communication purpose. The plan is for the students to master the language for easy communication between them and the teachers since some of the teachers are from Iran. In addition to that, any student that got an opportunity to go to Iran for studies will not have difficulty communicating with the people there.
 Malam Tijjani also said the school has not encountered any problem since its establishment, as there is no record that shows any disagreement by anybody against it where it is located.
 “The people of Suleja have a good understanding of who we are, and we made them to understand our aim in establishing the school. The school was established as a result of requests from some people and leaders from within the society,” he said.
 One feature of the school is the fluency and mastery of the Arabic language by the students of the academy. They speak with considerable perfection as attested to by the teachers who also express satisfaction on the ability of the students to read and understand Arabic texts.
 “Arabic as a language of the Noble Qur’an is being taught to the students of the school alongside the core courses so that they will have a better understanding of the subjects since the books are written in Arabic language. Therefore, the knowledge of Arabic is essential to the students of the academy,” he said.
 He added that all aspects of the language like Nahawu (Grammar) and Arabic literature are taught in the academy so that the students will know the full meaning of the books they read as well as the Noble Qur’an.
 Al-Mustapha Academy also offers diploma programmes on weekends. Its teachers include two PhD holders, two master’s degree holders, and six bachelor’s degree holders who graduated from various universities in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Chad, Niger and Iran.
 Malam Tijjani said students who graduate from the school have an opportunity of getting scholarship and placement into universities in Iran, especially the Al-Mustapha International University which the school is affiliated to.
 Interestingly, in one of the classes, our reporter observed that about 35 percent of the students were women despite the culture of low enrolment of women in formal school.
 A level 200 student of the academy, Badamasi Suleman said that of all the schools he attended, Al-Mustapha Academy has the most organised learning environment which gives students ample opportunity to study and make choices based on the student’s needs.
 “I have not been to an Islamic based institution apart from the knowledge of the Qur’an which I obtained through the traditional way. I am in my second year in the academy but I can speak Arabic for as long as I wish which I cannot do before joining the academy,” he said.
 One of the pioneer students of the academy, Muhammad Habib Suleiman, said it offers him an opportunity to realise the importance of his rights as a human being and the assistance given to him to study without paying anything in the academy.
 He said that the academy’s affiliation to Al-Mustapha International Academy in Iran is a good opportunity to experience the type of education being given to the people of Iran which prepared them for the development of their country.