By Najib Lawan Danbazau
Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has constituted an advisory committee on Almajiri education and welfare reform, appointing the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Kabiru Maude, SAN, ACArb., as its chairman.
The committee was inaugurated yesterday by the Secretary to the Kano State Government (SSG), Ibrahim Umar Farouk, at his office.
The committee comprises stakeholders from the education, justice, religious, traditional and security sectors.
Members include the Commissioner for Education, Gwani Ali Haruna Makoda; Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya; Director-General, Special Services Directorate, Major General Muhammad Sani (rtd.); Chairman, Kano State Law Reform Commission, Justice Lawal Wada Mahmoud (rtd.), as well as representatives of the Sharia Commission, Zakkah Commission, Hisbah Board and the Council of Emirates, among others.
The committee is expected to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the existing Tsangaya system in the state and consult relevant stakeholders on sustainable reforms.
Its terms of reference include developing regulatory and integration frameworks, recommending pilot implementation strategies, addressing exploitative practices and promoting access to quality education.
It will also study successful models for integrating Qur’anic education with basic literacy, numeracy and vocational skills.
The committee is further expected to examine funding and monitoring mechanisms, child protection measures and appropriate legal and regulatory reforms, including the registration and licensing of Tsangaya schools and measures to prevent exploitation.
Speaking during the inauguration, the SSG said the constitution of the committee demonstrated Governor Yusuf’s determination to address challenges confronting Almajiri education and welfare in the state.
He urged members to approach the assignment with commitment and professionalism while ensuring broad stakeholder consultation.
Farouk said the committee’s recommendations should be practical and sustainable and should improve the quality of education while protecting the rights and dignity of children.
Responding, Maude thanked the governor for the confidence reposed in him and pledged to work closely with members of the committee and other stakeholders to achieve the objectives of the assignment.
He said the committee would seek to preserve the beneficial aspects of the traditional Tsangaya system while ensuring quality education, child protection, accountability and respect for human dignity.
Maude also pledged that the committee would undertake extensive consultations and assess existing practices while considering workable models capable of providing lasting solutions to challenges associated with Almajiri education and welfare.
The initiative, according to the state government, is part of the administration’s efforts to strengthen education and social protection systems and ensure that children in Kano State have access to quality education, protection and opportunities to acquire skills for a productive future.
