Need to reform almajiri system in Nigeria

Almajiri is a system of Islamic education practised mostly in the Northern part of Nigeria. The term is also used to denote a person who is taught or undergoing learning within this system called “Almajiranci.”

The word almajiri is derived from the Arabic “Al-Muhajjirun” an “Emigrant,” who migrates from his home to a particular Islamic school in the quest for knowledge.

Over the years, it has been a normal feature, a cultural norm to have seen children roaming the streets in certain parts of Nigeria, mainly in the North, all in the name of seeking Islamic education through system of almajiri.

Prior to arrival of British colonial masters, a system of education called ‘Tsangaya’ has since prevailed in the Kanem-Borno Empire. It was established as an organised and comprehensive system of education for learning Islamic principles, values, jurisprudence and theology.

Established after madrasahs in other parts of the Muslim world, Tsangaya was funded largely by the state. Islam traditionally encourages charity, so the community readily supported these Almajiri. In return, the he (Almajiri) gives back to the society, mostly through manual labour.

The system also produced the judges, clerks, and teachers who provided the colonial administration with the needed staff. The first set of colonial staff in northern Nigeria was provided by the almajiri schools.

The colonial masters abolished state funding of Tsangaya, arguing that they were religious schools. “Karatun Boko”, western education was introduced and funded instead. With this loss of support, the system collapsed.

Regrettably, the almajiri culture has since outlived its purpose and has become a breeding ground for child begging and in the extreme cases, potential materials for recruitment into terrorist groups.

The pupils who were meant to be trained to become Islamic scholars have now had to struggle to cater for themselves, begging rather than learning under the watch and supervision of some semi-literate Quranic teachers or Mallams who themselves lack the requisite financial and moral support. Hence, the system runs more as a means of survival rather than a way of life.

This is because the Qur’anic schools became hapless, thereby not able to render any help because the head of the school is not also financially stable, which ultimately leads him to enforcing a rule that ensures the students to get him food or money.

The most annoying part of it is making it mandatory, as punishment is enforced on anyone who fails to turn in what is expected from him.

Therefore, government should as a matter of urgency put in place plausible measures of addressing the issue of almajiri system in Nigeria with a view to taking them off the streets even if it means banning the culture.

Fagge A.

Skyline University Nigeria.