FG, states sign MoU on 102 almajiri schools

The Almajiri education programme was launched in Jigawa State in December 2011 by Vice President Namadi Sambo. Since then, the Federal Government has constructed almajiri schools through the former Education Trust Fund (ETF) with 36 schools in the first phase and later the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) with 66 schools.   All the northern […]

The Almajiri education programme was launched in Jigawa State in December 2011 by Vice President Namadi Sambo. Since then, the Federal Government has constructed almajiri schools through the former Education Trust Fund (ETF) with 36 schools in the first phase and later the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) with 66 schools.

 

All the northern states except Plateau and Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Edo, Lagos and Rivers are all beneficiaries of the project.

Vice-President Sambo who chaired the meeting said government was striving to address poverty and would provide basic education for all less privileged children in Nigeria.

He appealed to the states to implement the affirmation of support document on the Almajiri Education Programme as it would help to ensure Education for All by 2015.

Professor Shehu Galadanchi, Chairman National Almajiri Education Implementation Committee said some of the challenges envisaged by the committee when the schools are handed over to states include recruitment, deployment and payment of  salaries for teachers, provision of feeding, integration of malams into the programme and effective management of the schools among others.

Executive Secretary of UBEC Dr. Ahmed Modibbo Mohammed, who gave progress report on ongoing construction of schools, said construction has reached 70 per cent and contractors had given assurance they would be ready for handover between June and July.

Modibbo said the Minister of State for Education Barrister Nyesom Wike had written to 15 state governments to provide additional lands for the conclusion of phase II of the project.