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Borno to establish 27 Islamic colleges
February 2, 2021
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Our Reporter
The Borno State government has said it will establish Higher Islamic Colleges in the 27 local government areas as part of measures to integrate basic education into Qur’anic education.
Governor Babagana Zulum made this known in Maiduguri, the state capital while declaring open a three-day public hearing organised by the High-Powered Committee on Reform of Sangaya System of Education in Borno.
Zulum said the college would serve as Islamic Centre for research on Islamic education, vocational training, and science and technology.
He said already construction of the colleges has commenced in Monguno and Gubio to be followed by the one in Kwaya-Kusar.
The governor, who stressed the importance of education, said adequate budgetary provision had been made in this year’s budget for Sangaya education, adding that members of the high-powered committee will, after the submission of their report, be allowed to continue as members of the implementation committee to actualise the programme.
The representative of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Danjuma Adamu, who is the board member representing Northeast in UBEC, praised the government for its commitment to address the nagging problem of out-of-school children, particularly the Almajiris who had been reduced to destitute and beggars.
According to Adamu, research in 2018 showed that there is two million out-of-school children in Northeast out of which 330,000 are from Borno State.
Adamu also recalled that in 2010, the Federal Government set up a committee to integrate basic education into the Qur’anic education and Sangaya schools where 175 model Almajiri schools were constructed with about 200 Almajiri sub-centres.
He, however, regretted that states involved, including Borno, failed to implement the memorandum of understanding signed with the Federal Government.
“Some of the projects were completely abandoned or converted into other uses such as military schools, and military camps because nobody utilised them for the purpose intended,” Adamu said.
He noted that with the commitment shown by Zulum’s administration, UBEC has found a partner in progress in addressing the plight of Almajiri education.
The Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Umar-Garbai, praised the programme which, he said, would address the abuse of Sangaya system, and assured the traditional council’s support for the success of the programme.
