Sokoto State Arabic and Islamic Education Commission with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in collaboration with funding from Eleva Foundation of the UK on Wednesday flagged off a 4-day training for 100 mallams of Tsangaya schools on child safeguarding and alternative care for Almajiri children in the state.
Speaking in his remarks while addressing participants on, ‘Understanding Child Protection and The Ideal Almajiri Education’, UNICEF Sokoto office child protection officer, Mr Williams Nwaokorie, says children are the primary beneficiaries of their works, hence, urging all implementing partners to ensure no harm of any form against them.
He called on all the Mallam to take good care of the children in their care while advising them to be more interested in the future of the kids.
The aim of the training of 100 Mallams drawn from 8 local government areas of Sokoto State according to UNICEF will be “to support the endorsement and adoption of alternative care minimum standards for Almajiri children out of family care, with a framework for monitoring compliance with alternative care.”
Speaking earlier in his welcome address, the Arabic and Islamic Commission’s Secretary, Dr Umar Altine Dandin Mahe said what is been brought is not new but what the religion admonished them to do.
“Our children in Islamiyya and Almajiri schools should be seen very neat, comfortable and given the needed care to appease others,” Altine enthused.
While commending UNICEF for its genuine commitment to children’s welfare worldwide irrespective of religion, race and nation, Umar Altine admonished the clerics to pay attention to every segment of the training and make it as interactive as possible for better understanding.
He also submitted that a law be put in place to prescribe the acceptable age within which parents can take their wards to other places for Islamic education.
On his part, Sokoto State Executive Chairman of Zakat and Waqf Commission, Mallam Lawal Maidoki in a goodwill message, said the issue of Almajiri and its proliferation should be carefully studied.
Maidoki who was represented by the Director of Endowment Services of Zakkat Commission, Mallam Jabbi Ibrahim Illela Dabore implores people to differentiate between the large number of children floating on the streets and who are Almajiri.
Speaking in his presentation a Professor of Islamic Law from the University of Maiduguri and UNICEF resource person, Umar Alkali urged Islamic teachers to admit global realities in dealing with children under their care.
Alkali who warned that God will ask parents over their responsibilities to their wards, reinstated that, Islam bestowed certain rights on children.
According to him, these rights include life, education, dignity, health and lineage amongst others.
He further said prevention, provision and participation (3Ps) as the core objectives of UNICEF child safeguarding policy, which Islamic teachers are encouraged to imbibe.
Alkali also clarified that the child could be attending schools both Western and Islamic from their parent’s homes even before attainment of the said years.
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