Ahmed Modibbo, a former executive
secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), says northern
state governors frustrated the integration of the Almajiri school system with
basic education.
The administration of former
President Goodluck Jonathan reportedly spent about N15 billion on the
construction of more than 100 model schools in the north to reduce the number
of children roaming the streets in the region.
But the schools are said to be
rotting away as they have not been put to use since they were constructed years
ago.
Speaking at a lecture with the
theme, ‘Before the ban on the Almajiri system of education in Nigeria’,
organised by the Centre for Historical Documentation and Research of Ahmadu
Bello University, (ABU), Zaria, which was held in Kaduna, Modibbo said the
schools were abandoned by northern governors because they wanted to be given
cash to construct them.
“The state governors left the
schools unoccupied, abandoned and vandalised because most state governments
refused to even take them over, not to talk of fulfilling their own obligations
contained in the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the federal
government,” Modibbo said.
“The state governments were not
happy with the decision of the federal government to undertake the project
through UBEC and the Eduction Tax Fund (ETF), as they wanted the money to be
given to them so that they could nominate contractors for the project.
Modibbo, a professor of history,
said the Almajiri system failed when the colonial administration stopped giving
support to Islamic education in 1922 following the establishment of the first
teacher training college in Katsina.
He said all efforts to address
the challenges plaguing the Islamic system of education in Nigeria have failed
owing to northern political leaders who “are squarely responsible for the
failure to have a fully integrated Quranic system of education with basic
education”.
However, the former executive
secretary of UBEC expressed the hope that with the comprehensive blueprint and
draft plan of action introduced by the commission in 2017, the implementation
of the Almajiri Quranic education project will succeed.
He also called for strict
implementation of the UBE act, introduction of school time marshals and
catering for the welfare of the children.
He asked that the National
Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) be allowed to monitor the utilisation of
federal funds released to states and other agencies of government for the
implementation of basic education.
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