We have 2,000 personnel, not overstaffed – Islamic board

The National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) has stated that the commission has 2,000 staff members, thus not overstaffed. In a statement sent to Daily Trust after its story that shows the board budgeted N18bn for its staff, its Head of Information and Protocol Unit, Abdulsalam Ramalan, said the 2,000 staff have been […]

The National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) has stated that the commission has 2,000 staff members, thus not overstaffed.

In a statement sent to Daily Trust after its story that shows the board budgeted N18bn for its staff, its Head of Information and Protocol Unit, Abdulsalam Ramalan, said the 2,000 staff have been posted to over 1,000 integrated schools as quality assurance staff to monitor curriculum implementation.

Daily Trust had reported that the board planned to spend N18.049bn from its total N26.47bn 2026 budget on staff.

A breakdown of the number showed the agency wants to spend N15,414,097,516 (billion) on salaries, while N2,635,755,653 (billion) will go into allowances and social contributions for the staff.

But in its statement, the board said the personnel budget reflects the scope of activities of the national examination body.

“Two of the primary mandates of the Board are: To conduct Senior Arabic and Islamic Secondary School Certificate Examination for Integrated Arabic and Islamic Schools across the country. And to monitor and regulate the teaching and learning of Arabic and Islamic Studies alongside conventional subjects,” it explained.

“To effectively achieve these objectives, the personnel budget is approved annually for NBAIS. Out of the total personnel of the Board, more than 2,000 staff have been posted to over 1,000 integrated schools as quality assurance staff to monitor curriculum implementation.”

It, however, said prior to the establishment of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children (NCAOSCE), NBAIS was involved in the monitoring of Qur’anic Tsangaya schools but with the emergence of NCAOSCE, redeployment of 2,000 personnel from the existing workforce of NBAIS to the commission was approved by the government.

 

“Therefore, considering the scope of NBAIS services and the redeployment of 2,000 staff to NCAOSCE, the Board is not actually overstaffed as may appear from outside. The custody of personnel budget of MDAs rests with the OHCSF/IPPIS and payment made through the envelope system ensures total control of staff salaries.”