The National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) has called on the Federal and State Government to regulate Almajiri schools and review its existing curriculum.
The call is contained in a communiqué jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the communique drafting committee, Muhammad Ndagi and Abubakar Hassan, issued at the end of a two-day stakeholders’ national conference, organised by the board in collaboration with Al-Ansar foundation, on Wednesday, in Abuja.
The conference with theme: “Role of Arabic and Islamic Education in Advancing Peace and Harmony in Nigeria’’ was according to reports, had no fewer than 2,100 participants from institutions of higher learning and Qur’anic schools from all states of the federation attendance.
Four commissioned papers were separately presented by Professor Afiz Oladosu, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan; Professor Salisu Shehu, Vice Chancellor, Al-Istiqama University, Sumaila, Kano; Professor Bashir Galadanci, Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies, Bayero University, Kano; and Dr. Muhammad Sani Idris, Honourable Commissioner for Education, Yobe State.
The conference observed that “religious teaching and values are founded on the principles of the universality of mankind and prohibition of all forms of discrimination on the basis of religion or ethnicity against fellow citizens.
The communique reads “A large section of the rural population in Nigeria has limited access to quality education, which has become a major cause of insecurity in the country.
“Qur’anic schools are educational centres for inculcating sound moral values needed for mutual national integration and cohesion.
“There are misconceptions and mis-information among Nigerians about the general utility of Arabic and Islamic Education in Qur’anic and Western schools.
“Arabic and Islamic Education could be used to effectively achieve peace and harmony in Nigeria.
“It has become imperative to regulate the operations of Almajiri/Tsangaya Schools in the country. In addition, the Conference also called for the review of the existing curriculum in these schools.
“The non-passage of the Bill for the establishment of NBAIS is inhibiting the Board from realising the objectives for which it was established”.
It also recommended that ” the learning of religion should be made compulsory at all levels of Nigeria’s educational system including tertiary institutions.
It further read “Government should commit itself to providing equal access and opportunities to education for all Nigerians.
“Government should support Qur’anic Schools/Centres and provide necessary interventions in terms of facilities including language laboratories. The interventions should also cover human resource needs of the schools.
“NBAIS should be part of government decision-making process in regulating preaching activities in the country.
“The Federal Ministry of Education is implored to mandate NBAIS to review its existing Senior Arabic and Islamic Secondary Schools Certificate Examinations (SAISSCE) curricula as well as that of Qur’anic schools to meet the needs of modern Nigerian society. Skills acquisition training should form part of the revised curriculum in these schools”.
