Report by SULEIMAN PAKI; Editing by BASIRAT MEMUDU
The increasing number of school aged children roaming the streets in the country and the north in particular explains why there is the need for collective effort to promote effective education of almajiris and other out of school children.
This was the position of two former lawmakers, Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale and Dr. Aishatu Jibirin Dukku who sponsored the bill establishing the National Commission for Almajiri and Out of School Children Education while accepting traditional titles conferred on them by the Daura Emirate Council.
Dr Balarabe Shehu Kakale said the present administration under the leadership of president Bola Ahmed Tinubu had initiated reforms that focus on reviving initiatives in the education sector for improved outcomes.
He appealed to critical stakeholders including the sub nationals to redouble effort towards utilizing the counterpart funding from UBEC to ensure that millions of children who are out of school are properly enrolled.
Beyond calling on state governments to work with the federal government towards the delivery of quality education, Dr Balarabe Shehu Kakale also advocated repositioning of the Almajiri and Tsangaya systems and mainstreaming them into the conventional education system.
On her part, Dr Aishatu Jibirin Dukku said the functionality of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out of School Children education was the collective responsibility of the government and parents.
The former minister of education insisted that Nigeria must initiate policies and programmes that would permanently end the out of school children phenomenon.
Meanwhile, at the conferment of traditional titles in Daura, Dr Balarabe Shehu Kakale was decorated with the title of Barden Tsangayu da Makarantum Allon Hausa while Dr Aishatu Jibirin Dukku was conferred with the title of Sarauniyar Tsangayun kasar Hausa.