A Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, Al-Ummah Development Foundation, ADF, has launched a project tagged Almajiri Intervention Pilot Project, for rehabilitating 300 Almajiri pupils in Kano State.
Speaking during the launching of the project in Kano on Sunday, the Technical Coordinator of the project, Ibrahim Waiya said the pilot project will absorb about 300 Almajiri pupils.
According to him, these pupils were drawn from three Tsangaya schools across Wudil, Garo and Kabo communities in the state.
He added that the project, which began at the beginning of Ramadan, would last for twelve months.
Mr Waiya, therefore, called on the government, individuals and other NGOs to lend their support towards the project.
He said: “We are running this project with no fund from the government. It is solely sponsored by Hajiya Zinat, the founder of the foundation.
“However, we call on other wealthy individuals to join the project in a bid to support it. We are hoping to expand the project if we see the outcome of this pilot one.
“We need to be resolute to do such projects. We should not be reliant on the government on everything. We need to do developmental projects ourselves, which is why I said this program is solely sponsored by the ADF.”
He explained that during the rehabilitation period, the benefitting Almajiris would be provided with instructional materials such as books, bags, pens, pencils and study tablets.
Mr Waiya added the pupils would no longer beg throughout the period as they would be given food three days daily.
He further stated that the Almajiris would be taught vocational skills, adding that some grants would be awarded to them in a bid to make them self-reliant.
“We are doing this project to discourage the primitive way of learning. We want to discourage street begging because it a bad practice that does not contribute to societal development.
“We are calling on governments to emulate this project in order to formalize Tsangaya education. It is high time for the government to declare a state of emergency on education in Kano State.
“The government is not ready to end street begging because it has employed only one strategy, that is the repatriation of the Almajiris. This is counterproductive and stands to be condemnable.
“If you want to stop street begging and formalize the Tsangaya system of education, you have to put robust and effective arrangements in place. Therefore, the government needs to be serious about this issue,” he said.
