‘Lack of support for Quranic teachers compels almajiri to street begging’

Stakeholders in Bauchi State have said that lack of support to Quranic (tsangaya) teachers is compelling the almajiri (disciples) to turn to street begging in the state.

The stakeholders expressed this thought in Bauchi on Saturday in a nine-point communique issued at the end of a meeting of stakeholders, organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC).

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The communique was signed by Dr Muhammad Mujtaba, Chairman of the communique committee.

The meeting was convened with a view to finding solutions to the plight of almajiri in the state.

The stakeholders urged the government to set aside intervention funds and resources for the almajiri.

“Stakeholders’ engagement is necessary to bring about workable and acceptable changes in the almajiri system.

“Sensitisation on responsible parenting should reach remote villages to help reduce the burden on the teachers at tsangaya schools.

“There is the need for training and retraining of the teachers at the tsangaya schools on psycho-social, entrepreneurship, and other lifesaving skills,” the stakeholders said.

They urged teachers of tsangaya schools not to accept underage children who cannot take care of themselves to reduce the burden on the teachers.

They called on the private sector and philanthropists to provide support for the needs of the almajiri system.

The stakeholders called for budgetary provision for the benefit of the almajiri system instead of ad hoc interventions by the government.

The communique also called for the integration of the almajiri system with the conventional educational system to ensure that the children benefited from both the Western and Islamic systems of education. (NAN)