Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has finally agreed to past claims by concerned Nigerians who feared that the Almajiri system could end up creating more problems in the North if left unchecked.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan who had anticipated such challenges, took measures to address the problem by building schools in the North to properly educate the children for more productiveness instead of releasing them to roam the streets as beggars across the country.
The Jonathan administration had hoped its initiative if successful, would prevent almajiri children from being exploited by Boko Haram, thereby causing more security problems in the country. But majority of the schools were abandoned or converted into something else.
Now, however, Governor Ganduje, in a statement during the public presentation and launching of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s book on Tuesday in Abuja, described the Almajiri issue as a big problem to the North.
“There is no doubt Boko Haram succeeded in Nigeria because they have foundation, a recruitment base in the Almajirai who are hugely indoctrinated,” Ganduje said.
The governor commended the former President for his contribution to improving the standard of education in the country, and particularly, the setting up of Almajiri schools during his reign.
“Jonathan widened and deepened the Almajiri system and we are modifying the Almajiri system in Kano and creating more of such schools in the state.
“The Almajiri system was a good one when it was created because it helped the children to recite the Holy Qur’an.
“There was no issue of begging then.
“But later on, the system was adulterated, that is why we find ourselves in this present condition.
“The curriculum then was just the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, but that’s not enough for Islamic education,” Ganduje said.
Speaking, Jonathan said: “We need to elevate the Almajiri from their present level.
“If we leave them the way they are, it’s going to cause a lot of problems for us.”