Kano State Government has constituted a 20-member Advisory Committee on Almajiri Education and Welfare Reform as part of efforts to comprehensively reform and reposition the Tsangaya education system across the state.
The initiative, approved by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, is aimed at developing a sustainable framework for regulating and integrating the traditional Qur’anic 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, Barr. Abdulkarim Kabir Maude, SAN, while the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Barr. Amina Yusuf Yargaya, serves as Secretary.
Salisu Musa Aliyu, PAS/REPA, and Hafsat Tijjani Shehu, AS II/REPA, will serve as Co-Secretary and Assistant Secretary respectively.
The committee brings together representatives from government, traditional institutions, Islamic and religious bodies, the legal and education sectors, as well as child-rights advocacy organisations.
The broad-based composition reflects the government’s recognition of the educational, social, cultural and welfare dimensions of the Almajiri and Tsangaya system.
Members include the Commissioners for Education and Information; Director General, Special Services Directorate; Chairman of the Law Reform Commission; and representatives of the Council of Emirs, Sharia Commission, Zakkat Commission and Hisbah Board.
Others are the Special Advisers on Justice and Constitutional Matters and Tsangaya; representatives of Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education, the Nigerian Bar Association, child-rights advocacy groups and other relevant stakeholders.
The committee is mandated to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing Tsangaya system and engage stakeholders in developing appropriate regulatory, integration and enforcement frameworks for its effective reform.
It will also develop a roadmap for pilot implementation, monitoring and long-term sustainability of the reforms, while examining best practices and models that could strengthen the system.
A major component of the reform is the proposed integration of Qur’anic education with literacy, numeracy and vocational skills to expand educational opportunities for children without undermining the religious and cultural foundations of traditional Qur’anic education.
The committee is also expected to recommend measures to curb exploitative practices and strengthen child-protection mechanisms.
It will further develop a legal framework for the registration and licensing of Tsangaya schools, effective oversight and appropriate sanctions for violations.
Other areas of responsibility include examining sustainable funding and support mechanisms and promoting engagement with Qur’anic teachers, parents, religious scholars, traditional rulers and communities as key partners in the reform process.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Umar Faruk Ibrahim, said the calibre and experience of the committee members demonstrated the seriousness with which the administration was approaching the reform of the Tsangaya system.
He expressed confidence that the committee would produce practical and implementable recommendations capable of improving educational opportunities and the welfare of Almajiri children across the state.
Responding on behalf of the committee, its chairman, Barr. Abdulkarim Kabir Maude, SAN, thanked the state government for entrusting members with the responsibility.
Maude assured that the committee would discharge its mandate diligently and in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Kano State.
He called on committee members and the public to contribute towards the success of the initiative, stressing the importance of collective commitment to achieving meaningful reform.
The state government clarified that the initiative is not designed to undermine traditional Qur’anic education but to strengthen and reposition it through a balanced framework that preserves its Islamic and cultural foundations while equipping children with literacy, numeracy, vocational and life skills.
The government said the success of the reform would depend on broad-based collaboration with traditional institutions, religious scholars, Qur’anic teachers, parents, communities and other stakeholders.
It added that the ultimate objective is to ensure that children within the Tsangaya system are protected from abuse and exploitation, have access to quality and relevant education, and are better prepared to contribute positively to the future development of Kano State.
