The wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, emphasized the complexity of addressing the challenges faced by Almajiri and out-of-school children but reassured that these obstacles are not beyond resolution.
She made this statement on Friday during a meeting with the Executive Secretary and other officials from the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children at the State House in Abuja.
Mrs. Tinubu acknowledged the value of children seeking knowledge, particularly in religious education, recognizing its role in shaping their lives and conduct. However, she stressed the importance of ensuring that the entire system is properly regulated and monitored to prevent exploitation and abuse.
“There is nothing wrong with children seeking knowledge of God, but to solve the issue of Almajiri and out-of-school children is undoubtedly a huge challenge,” she said. “Yet, it is not insurmountable.”
She suggested that all Imams and Ulamas involved in the Almajiri system should be thoroughly registered and documented by the relevant authorities. She further stressed that any unregistered individuals should be prohibited from practicing, as a safeguard against potential exploitation.
“It is heartbreaking to see people exploit these vulnerable children due to a lack of fear of God,” she continued. “The schools proposed for these children should be more than places of religious learning—they should be boarding institutions that provide formal education and skills training as well.”
The First Lady urged a step-by-step approach: “Let’s focus on getting one school right, then we can build on that success and expand.”
The meeting also allowed Mrs. Tinubu to introduce the “Flow-With-Confidence Initiative” under the Renewed Hope Initiative, a program designed to help girls stay in school during their menstrual cycles—a critical issue in ensuring their continued education.
Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, Dr. Muhammad Sani Idris, shared disheartening statistics, revealing that there are an estimated 30 million Almajiri children and 18.5 million out-of-school children in Nigeria. These figures, he said, reflect a national crisis that demands urgent action.
He also shared the Commission’s plans for a pilot school in Kaduna State, where children will receive Quranic and formal education, along with skills acquisition, all in alignment with a new curriculum developed by the Federal Ministry of Education.
Idris revealed that the Commission has set an ambitious target to enroll eight million out-of-school children within the next two years, bringing them back into the educational fold.
In closing, he expressed his gratitude to both the President and First Lady for their unwavering dedication to improving the lives of Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations.
