Remodelling Of Almajiri System Of Education In Northern Nigeria

By Solomon David Arewa

Education in its general concept has to do with a wide array of the learning system, it is a broader concept that encompasses all possible routes knowledge is acquired.  Education solely stands to explain the broader concept of acquiring new forms of knowledge and also a contextual approach of building on old ones.

Education generally is as old as a man because in one way or the other humans tend to learn things a long time before Western education was initiated. 

Education can, therefore, be broadly categorized into the formal and informal system in which our issue of concern “the almajiri system of education” falls under the category of the informal system of education.

The formal system of education penetrated Nigeria, in which the Western-type of education had been of greater impact to the well-being of rations of citizens in the country by providing skilful professions and white-collar jobs to the people which they appreciate its impact in their lives and are still benefitting from the influence of such system of education.

However, we cannot precisely undermine the influence of the “almajiri system of education” which has been predominant in Northern Nigeria.  The almajiri system of education initiated in Nigeria is with good purpose and intentions as it aims to mould children into better men with a greater understanding of how terrible life can be sometimes and also make them familiar to how other communities live and operate,  the fact is that people that have passed through the almajiri system of education are mostly hardworking, disciplined, makes use of resources deciduous, good planners with a better understanding and knowledge of how to live with people from different ethnic groups and regions.

The almajiri system of education operates on a basis that a child has to leave his state for another which may be far or close, but mostly for far locations to receive the best experience of life without any similar encounter with his parents or relatives but under what seems to be a sluggish supervision of a “MALAM” who is the recognized instructor and guardian to any ALMAJIRI under his care.

 The MALAM gives to the children the best of experience life can offer through discipline, making them work hard, teaching them to be dedicated and also learn to endure as well as moulding them to be the self-reliant future husband that can discharge their responsibilities well.

The children roam the streets and move from one house to the other begging for food to eat, sleep on the streets, walk without shoes under harsh weather condition and wear a particular set of clothing for months with no proper sanitation to the environment within which they reside which is very dangerous to the health of such children.

It is now seen as a norm in the Northern part of Nigeria to send stubborn children for this type of education system as a punishment.

It is very vital to living in a clean environment and maintain proper hygiene but from a survey the ALMAJIRI child has none of these to enjoy, he picks food from the ground and eat, drinks dirty water, wears tattered clothes with shabby looking hair and having no shoes to wear, sleeps on the street or some neglected uncompleted buildings that are highly prone to mosquitoes and other dangerous rodents.

The almajiri child as a result of such situation is bound to face some forms of threats and abuses considering how bad and untrusted the society is turning to, such children may face abuses from Gays in the society, they may be forced to participate in theft or may even be used as terrorist or hired thugs for things as little as food, little money and satisfaction of some of their temporal needs.

The almajiri system of education has to be applauded and respected for its positive impact to some people in the society, but it is rapidly increasing challenges outshines the reason to which it was established in recent times.

Parents are advised to take good care of their children as it has been observed that many send their children to such system due to their inability to cater for the children’s need, the society can also play a role by showing them love rather than just giving them plates and clothes to wash and also assisting them with the basic necessities of life because they are harmless and not dangerous as most people think of them.

A call is made to the government not for a ban on the almajiri system of education but for its revitalization.

And amendment if necessary with greater protection and close observation of the children’s routines and also a call on the parents to give in their best in educating their children or sending them to entrepreneurial workshops to acquire skills as they are the leaders of tomorrow than just leaving them endangered on the streets.

 If parents can’t take care of their children then why give birth to them?  Let’s all give a positive hand in remodelling the almajiri system of education in northern Nigeria.

Solomon David Arewa, a 300 level student writes from Mass Communication Dept. University Of Maiduguri