Kano mulls integration of repatriated Almajiris into free education scheme

Kano State Government on Wednesday reaffirmed its commitment to reintegrating the Almagiri children repatriated to Kano into its free and compulsory basic and secondary education policy.

A statement by the commissioner for information, Malam Muhammad Garba said the government is ready to accept Almajiris repatriated from any state of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The Commissioner said governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is willing to admit the children back to Kano with the normal protocol of isolation, medical care and welfare.

Garba explained that government has perfected all plans to enrol them in boarding schools with fully equipped dormitories where they will be fed and catered for, in line with the implementation of its policy on the integration of the Almajiri system as a component of Free and Compulsory Basic and Secondary Education in the state.

The commissioner said the government will sustain the responsibility of taking care of the Almajiri pending when they will be reunited with their parents.

According to the statement, ā€œIn compliance with Governor Gandujeā€™s policy to ensuring that all school-age children are properly enrolled into the basic education, the state government has provided additional three new Almajiri boarding schools within the three Senatorial Districts for the admission of Almajirai of Kano state origin including those recently repatriated from Gombe 96, Plateau 222, Nassarawa 14 and Kaduna 56.

ā€œAside the existing schools, additional 12 Tsangaya Boarding Schools already in operation in the state with an enrollment of over 2, 800 Alamajiri.

ā€œBesides all these, government is also currently looking into the possibility of remodelling of the 33 Schools for Islamic Studies and 32 Technical Schools built across the 44 local government areas of the state to accommodate all the Alamijirai within as well as those returning from other states as result of the repatriationā€.

Malam Garba also called on other states in the region to live up to their responsibilities and comply with the Northern Governorsā€™ Forum decision that all Almajirai in the states should be taken back to their respective states.