The Kano State Government has inaugurated a 20-member committee to develop a comprehensive framework for reforming the Almajiri and Tsangaya education system, with a focus on regulating Qur’anic schools, protecting children and improving their access to education and welfare services.
The committee, inaugurated as part of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration’s efforts to reposition the Tsangaya system, is expected to assess existing practices and recommend legal, regulatory and funding measures to make the system more effective and sustainable.
The development was contained in a statement issued by the Press Secretary to the Secretary to the State Government, Musa Tanko Muhammad, and made available to journalists on Thursday.
“Kano State Government has taken a major step towards the comprehensive reform and repositioning of the Almajiri system with the constitution of a 20-member Advisory Committee on Almajiri Education and Welfare Reform,” the statement said.
According to the government, the initiative was approved by Governor Yusuf to establish a sustainable framework for regulating and integrating the Tsangaya education system while protecting the welfare, dignity and future of children enrolled in it.
The committee is chaired by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Kabir Maude, SAN, while the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Amina Yusuf Yargaya, serves as Secretary.
Salisu Musa Aliyu and Hafsat Tijjani will serve as Co-Secretary and Assistant Secretary respectively.
Other members include the Commissioners for Education and Information, the Director-General of the Special Services Directorate, the Chairman of the Law Reform Commission and representatives of the Council of Emirs, Sharia Commission, Zakkat Commission and Hisbah Board.
The committee also has representatives from Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, the Nigerian Bar Association, child-rights advocacy organisations and other relevant stakeholders.
Special Advisers on Justice and Constitutional Matters and Tsangaya are also members of the committee.
The state government said the broad composition was deliberate, bringing together stakeholders with expertise in governance, traditional institutions, Islamic and religious affairs, law, education and child protection.
“The composition reflects a broad, multi-sectoral approach, bringing together representatives of government, traditional institutions, Islamic and religious bodies, the legal profession, education sector and child-rights advocacy,” the statement said.
The committee is expected to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing Tsangaya system and engage relevant stakeholders in developing regulatory, integration and enforcement frameworks for its reform.
It will also develop a roadmap for pilot implementation, monitoring and long-term sustainability of the proposed reforms.
Another major responsibility assigned to the committee is the examination of models and best practices that could strengthen the Tsangaya system while addressing challenges associated with the welfare and protection of Almajiri children.
The government specifically tasked the committee with recommending measures to eliminate exploitative practices and strengthen child-protection mechanisms within the system.
It is also expected to develop a legal framework for the registration and licensing of Tsangaya schools across Kano State.
The licensing framework is expected to provide a clearer structure for identifying schools, establishing minimum standards and improving accountability within the system.
The committee will further examine sustainable funding and support mechanisms for Tsangaya education and consider ways of ensuring that Qur’anic teachers, parents, religious scholars, traditional rulers and communities become active partners in the reform process.
The government’s approach suggests an attempt to address the challenges surrounding Almajiri education through a multi-sectoral framework rather than focusing solely on the educational component.
At the inauguration ceremony, the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Faruk Ibrahim, said the calibre and experience of the committee members reflected the importance attached to the assignment by the state government.
He expressed confidence that the committee would produce practical recommendations capable of being implemented to improve educational opportunities and welfare for Almajiri children in the state.
The SSG urged members to approach the assignment with the seriousness required to achieve the objectives of the reform initiative.
Responding on behalf of the committee, the chairman, Maude, expressed appreciation to the state government for entrusting members with the responsibility.
He pledged that the committee would approach its mandate with diligence and ensure that its recommendations were guided by existing laws.
Maude assured the government that members would carry out their responsibilities within the confines of the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Kano State.
He also pledged to bring the experience and expertise of committee members to bear on the assignment.
The reform initiative comes against the background of longstanding concerns over the conditions of some Almajiri children, particularly issues relating to access to formal education, child protection, healthcare, accommodation and general welfare.
The Tsangaya system has historically played an important role in Qur’anic education across Northern Nigeria, with Islamic scholars and traditional institutions serving as key custodians of the system.
However, concerns over the welfare of some pupils, including exposure to exploitation and inadequate access to basic services, have generated calls for reforms that can preserve the religious and cultural value of Qur’anic education while improving children’s overall development.
The committee’s mandate to examine registration, licensing, funding and child-protection mechanisms therefore places the initiative at the intersection of education, religion, law and social welfare.
For the reform to succeed, sustained engagement with Qur’anic teachers, parents, traditional rulers, religious scholars and communities will be critical, particularly because many of the institutions involved operate within longstanding cultural and religious structures.
The proposed pilot implementation and monitoring framework could also provide the state government with an opportunity to test recommendations before wider adoption across Kano.
West Trybe reports that the reform of Almajiri and Tsangaya education remains a major education and child-welfare issue in Northern Nigeria, with stakeholders facing the challenge of preserving Qur’anic education while ensuring that children have access to protection, basic services and broader educational opportunities.
