For a society grappling with insecurity and multi-dimensional poverty, the launch of an empowerment investment programme known as “Almajiri to Tech”, aimed at bridging the existing gaps in Human Capital Development (HCD) is an initiative worthy of emulation by both public and private institutions. The gap in issue being partly attributable to lack of equitable access to formal education, the programme, by a non-governmental organisation, New Horizons Nigeria, is visionary for aiming to provide opportunities for skills acquisition for productive engagement. With the country’s myriad of economic and social problems including poverty, there is no denying that continued neglect of children under the guise of Almajiri system portends grimmer implication for the future. The plight of vulnerable children under the Almajiri system underscores the gravity of the challenge posed by the large numbers of out-of-school children in Nigeria. As of 2025, data from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) indicate that of out-of-school children in Nigeria constitute not less than 15% of the global total. According to the report, Nigeria has more than 18 million out-of-school children comprising 10.2 million of primary-age and 8.1 million of junior secondary-age.
While the Almajiris system was originally conceived as a medium of education in the Islamic tradition, the practice in Nigeria has however degenerated into a scourge whereby parents simply abandon their children to Quranic scholars who have no choice but to send them out in search of food and other basic needs. This manifests unintended consequences which, for decades, have impacted the society negatively. It should be instructive that vulnerable children under the Almajiri system prevalent in the northern states constitute a significant percentage of the out-of-school children in the country. More worrisome however is that in spite of the predicament, the Almajiris have not been accorded the desired attention by government both at the level of the state and local government. It has therefore become expedient to declare Almajiri education a national emergency that calls for sustained partnership between the government and the private sector. It is recalled that the Goodluck Jonathan administration initiated the concept of the Almajiri school which unfortunately didn’t take-off fully and has since been abandoned. It may be ideal to revisit the Goodluck Jonathan’s model for possible fine-tuning and implementation.
Any empowerment initiative targeted at improving the living condition of the Almajiris should be deemed commendable deserving the support of stakeholders. The plight of the Almajiris and the injustice constituted by their neglect can better be imagined in the 21st Century when acquisition of knowledge and skills for productive engagement has become a critical element in addressing the challenges of poverty, criminality and social instability. It is therefore hoped that the initiative by New Horizons Nigeria, worth a moderate N50 million, will be diligently implemented to motivate further investments in skills acquisition and job opportunity for vulnerable individuals such as the Almajiris as part of the corporate social responsibility by other non-state actors.
Notwithstanding, it should be emphasised that vocational training cannot holistically address the education needs of Almajiris considering that these category of individuals lack basic foundational literacy essential for comprehension and communication for deploying acquired skills. To this extent, commitment to resource allocation by governments at the national and sub-national levels as well as investment support from non-state actors are vital in addressing the peculiar nature of education suitable for Alamajiris in a formal school system. Therefore, the goal should be geared towards sustaining functional school system to enhance access to foundational education for the Almajiris whose vulnerability compel responsibility on the society in the collective interest of prosperous and peaceful future.
Nigeria faces uncertainties in the future considering the attendant consequences of a system that keep a sizeable population of children out of school. Therefore, the threats constituted by the Almajiri system can no longer be ignored nor denied. That the menace had been allowed to fester for so long speaks to the failure of political elite who presumably seek to explore the ignorance and docility of Almajiris for domination and subjugation. The reality of the challenge pose by the continued abuse of the Almajiri system is grim and should therefore be accorded the required urgent interventions. There should be no further excuse for the injustice and danger that the Almajiri system typifies. Political leaders and elite should demonstrate greater commitment to dealing with the abuse associated with the system that has no legitimate or justifiable foundation in the feudal or religious setting of the society. In fact, no society that is genuinely prepared for emerging realities of the 21st Century should tolerate the continued segregation and neglect of a section of the society that is denied the opportunity to acquire basic education. The Almajiri system, as currently practiced, symptomises elite conspiracy against a section of citizens whose fundamental human rights ought to be protected in line with the standard that obtains globally.
Nigeria passed the Child’s Rights Act (CRA) in 2003 which makes both the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child justiceable in the country following adoption by states. Unfortunately, both the domestication and application of the Child Rights Acts remain a challenge even as some states are yet to adopt the law as expected on account of culture and religious beliefs. Therefore, civil society actors need to intensify advocacy towards ensuring that the Child Rights Act is domesticated across all the 36 states as well as ensure its implementation. Nigeria stands to benefit immensely when access to education becomes equitable without any form of inhibition on the basis of neglect, denials and conspiracy. It is in the overriding interest of the country that the abuse associated with the Almajiri system is dispassionately addressed for proper integration of the vulnerable individuals in the society and for peace to reign.