Hajiya Aisha Aliyu Idris, born in Kaduna 40years ago, is the proprietor of Modern International School, Rigasa, Kaduna, which she later renamed El-Modern International School. She speaks with ALIYU ABUBAKAR ASKIRA on the challenges of running a private school, especially as a Muslim woman married to a journalist.
What inspired you to the teaching profession?
First, I will say it is destiny also my father retired as a Polytechnic lecturer, but basically my being a teacher is to set up my own school so that I can contribute to the society.
Today in my school, I have many children who have lost their parents and are on scholarship, there are many other children who enrolled here and at a point could not pay their school fees, and I allow them to continue.
We have taught several graduates, NCE holders, Diploma Holders, and Secondary School Holders who are teaching here. The North is lacking far behind educationally, as such I decided to set up my school especially in Rigasa to enable parents who are mostly poor in this area enroll their children in school because our school fees is very low.
Though other people have now set up several private schools in the area I decided to maintain my low school fees policy so that those that cannot go the expensive schools can come to us. But in terms of quality, we are one of the best in the area.
How did you start your school were they any peculiar challenges?
Well, let me welcome you to my school and I am happy that you went round and saw the entire premises of the school and also met our students and teachers to tell you the qualities we have in our school and the conducive learning atmosphere we have here.
Setting up a school is not easy because it is capital intensive and one also need to persevere especially at the initial stage. There are many schools around today, and the work continues so we won’t lose our pupils.
Tell us about your educational background
I attended Kaduna Capital School, later, Maimuna Gwarzo Girls Secondary School, Women Teachers College Kaduna, National Teachers’ Institute and ended up at National Open University. I am married and hailed from Zaria, my mother is alive, my Late Father Malam Aliyu Idris was a former staff of KASUPDA Kaduna later he joined Kaduna Polytechnic before he retired during his retirement period, he dedicated his life to Islamic Religion, community work and taking care of his family at a time he was even the Imam of a Mosque close to our house, in fact, he spent substantial part of his life reading the Holy Qur’an.
What are some of you high and low moments since you started the school?
My happiest moment was when we marked our 10th Years anniversary with President Muhammadu Buhari as our special guest. My husband is an ardent Buhari supporter and he was the person who insisted the committee handling the 10th year anniversary should invite President Buhari popularly called General Buhari then, to grace the Occasion. Though he didn’t attend, he sent his close friend sent Engr. Usman Abubakar a former Commissioner in Old Kaduna State and also a Commissioner in Katsina state to represent him and we were grateful for that.
My saddest moment, one, was when I lost my father and I am always sad when a student lost his father or when we loss a student.
Honestly, I am a very happy person today because my school has produced graduates, military officers, police officers, and graduates in other disciplines. I thank my late father, my Husband, my mother, my brothers and sisters, and above all my Teachers who stood by me all these years. I lost some of them and I am praying hard for God to give them Aljannah.
How is marriage like, tell us how you met your husband
Well, it’s a long story. One day, when I was still in secondary school, I went out in the morning to buy bread then I saw somebody following me behind. On my way back home, he approached me and told me that he want me to be his friend and asked of my name and home address which I gave him and he visited our house the same day in the evening. I reluctantly attended to him because initially I didn’t like him but with time, we became very close though our relationship faced challenges but we got married on 20th September, 2000.
My husband, Aliyu Abubakar from Borno State, is a journalist. He started journalism career with the defunct democrat Newspapers after finishing his secondary education in Lagos. He later he went to Bayero University Kano and subsequently attended other schools where he obtained more certificates as professional courses. He served in Sokoto as correspondent of Democrat Newspapers, Vangard Newspapers, PM News and New Nigerian Newspapers, he later moved to Jigawa state as correspondent for Concord Newspapers. From Jigawa he moved to Kano State as correspondent of Daily Times Newspapers where he was later elected as Chairman of NUJ correspondent Chapel, when he was in Jigawa he served as Financial Secretary of Jigawa State NUJ State Council, later, he worked with former Reporter Newspapers, Sentinel Magazine and later, joined The Week Magazine as its Abuja Bureau Chief.
Subsequently, he resigned and joined the defunct Exclusive Newspaper as its managing editor North based in Abuja. When General Buhari joined active Politics in 2003, my husband with one of his friend Walin Faru established their own Newspaper called Media Focus to campaign for President Buhari, in fact, their first five editions where dedicated to President Buhari’s integrity, principles and disciplines and the need for Nigerians to elect him as President. Unfortunately, because of the paper’s editorial policy to promote Buhari’s political philosophy and the need for Nigerians to elect him for President, the paper was closed by the Security Operatives.
How do you feel being married to a Journalist?
I am always missing him because he has never moved me out of Kaduna, also security operatives are always visiting our house to invite him over one story or the other. On some occasions, they will detain him and beat him up on framed up charges and allegations, though because of the fact that he worked in many Newspapers, he became close to several Ex and serving Governors, Ministers, Senators, Businessmen and what have you but materially, he has nothing to show for all this struggle because he believes in the integrity of his profession. I always tease him that if he died today, what will he leave behind, but he will laugh and say he will leave behind a good name and somebody who live and died in the service of humanity.
Kaduna state Governor has introduced free feeding in public schools to attract enrolment of children of the poor into public schools. Has this policy affected private schools in any way?
Yes it has, but the policy has made us to improve the quality of our schools so that we will not lose our pupils, on the other hand, we have also engaged qualitative teachers so that we will remain in Business. Some of the students that left us are returning back but because the government policy is yet to be as expected they still have problems of class rooms, quality teachers, and other facilities.
To run a private school is very rewarding despite the difficulties, I can tell you that over time, I was able to acquire more wealth of knowledge and material that I am proud of today.
The school has enabled me to be in a position to assist myself and my family. I was the treasurer of Rigasa Private Schools Association for 2 terms until I resigned.
What other plans do you have for the school?
I wish to improve its standard, set up more branches, employ more teachers, and continue to render humanitarian services. We also have Islamiyya Branch of the school where we teach basic Qur’anic education to the adult and children. This is handled by my brother Barrister Abdullahi Aliyu Idris.
Is it True you are from a Royal Family also, is your father the Former Secretary to the Federal Government?
If you are referring to Gidado Idris yes he is my father but not biological father. We are from the same family my Grandfather was the Makama of Soba, District Head of Soba Local Government, my Uncle is the Makaman Malamai of Zazzau, my mother is also from a Royal Family. I have many brothers and sisters, most of them graduates, but most importantly, I give thanks to my husband who stood by me all this while to see that I succeed in fact, he is the director of the school having assisted financially and morally for me to set up the school.
I remain grateful to him and my parents but it is not easy to run a private school as a married Muslim woman because on many occasions we do quarrel with my husband whenever I am not available to attend to his needs and that of the family, like cooking for him and being with him whenever he is home.
