Writing By Umar S Fada; Editing By Yusuf Zubairu
The Registrar of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), Professor Yahuza Sulaiman Imam, says the institution is one of the legacies of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto, established in 1960.
Professor Imam stated this while speaking with newsmen in Kaduna, noting that NBAIS was not a recent creation, as is often assumed by members of the public.
He explained that the institution operated as a department at the Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, from 1960 to 2016.
The Registrar said the National Council on Education granted NBAIS full autonomy in 2011, transforming it into a national examination and regulatory body.
According to him, NBAIS currently has more than 1,200 affiliated centres and about 500,000 registered candidates, offering over 200 programmes.
Professor Imam said the board conducts nationally recognised examinations, including the Senior Arabic and Islamic Secondary School Certificate, Quranic Studies (Tahfeez) and science curriculum examinations.
He added that NBAIS had played a significant role in integrating traditional Islamic learning into Nigeria’s formal education system.
The Registrar stressed that the institution had continued to provide an avenue for students pursuing Arabic and Islamic education to obtain nationally recognised qualifications and access further educational opportunities.
