FG moves to bring back 157 Jonathan-era Almajiri schools

The Federal Government has initiated the formal recovery of 157 model Almajiri schools constructed during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

This was confirmed by Nura Muhammad, spokesperson for the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE), in an interview in Abuja on Sunday.

Muhammad described the move as a significant step toward revamping and institutionalising Almajiri education, noting that the recovery effort is already underway and aims to bring all the schools under the Commission’s authority ahead of planned rehabilitation.

He explained that the renewed drive follows the creation of a legally established national body specifically responsible for oversight of all Almajiri-related educational programmes — an institutional framework he said was lacking during previous reform attempts.

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The spokesperson hailed former President Jonathan for initiating the construction of the schools, calling the effort “a noble and well-intentioned stride toward modernising the system”.

However, he pointed out that the project encountered challenges, especially the lack of adequate engagement with “Alarammas” — the traditional Qur’anic teachers central to Almajiri learning.

“We must commend President Goodluck Jonathan for his remarkable efforts towards reforming Almajiri education, which led to the establishment of 157 model Almajiri schools across the country.Although the initiative was noble and well-intentioned, it, however, faced several challenges.One major issue was the inability to adequately carry along the Alarammas, during the policy implementation.In addition, the programme existed merely as an initiative under the Federal Ministry of Education, without a strong institutional framework to sustain it,” he said.

Muhammad added that the Commission, now supported by law and guided by a newly adopted National Policy on Almajiri Education, is better positioned to drive sustainable reforms.

“We are confident that, in due course, all negative practices associated with the system will be eliminated.These schools will soon be fully under our control and subsequently rehabilitated so they can serve the purpose for which they were originally established,” he said.