We’ll abolish almajirai system in Kaduna – el-Rufai


Kaduna state government is set to abolish almajirai system and ensure that all destitute children in the state are sent to conventional school for their formal and Islamic education, Governor Nasir el-Rufai has said. 


According to reports, there are over 20 million almajirai children in Nigeria with 80% of them found in the Northern Nigeria, with Kaduna state having it’s own share. 


Addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Accelerated Conference on Tuesday at Umaru Musa Yar’adua Indoor Hall, Murtala Square Kaduna, the Governor said once government has built enough schools to contain the almajirai children, the system will be abolished, the children would all be taken to conventional schools. 


“When we build enough classrooms in our schools in Kaduna state, we would not allow the amajirai system any longer. We will abolish the almajirai system. We are working with the Islamic Development Bank to convert the alamajirai schools in the state to conventional schools. The Islamic Development Bank is partnering the Federal Government with tens of millions of dollars loan with low concession rates and Kaduna state is one of the pilot states.”


The Governor, who promised to convert agriculture waste to wealth in the state, noted that his administration is working on lasting solution to the challenge of water shortage within the Kaduna metropolis. “There is shortage of water in Kaduna because our water treatment plant was built for 1.5 million people, but the population is far more than that. 


“The solution was to build a dam for 5 million people which is the projected population of Kaduna city. We are working on it, it would be ready in about five years time, the Federal Government is helping us to build a dam and we would pipe the water and build a treatment plant for it,” el-Rufai added.   


The Deputy Secretary General, United Nations, Ms Amina Mohammed Deputy UN Secretary General, Mrs Amina Mohammed said achieving the SDGs is a collective challenge for all nations and everybody,  adding that while there is decline in the number of people living in poverty, extreme poverty remains high due to conflicts and other external factors.  


“In the world today there is enough to feed this world three times over but there are so many inequalities that we find in many places millions going to bed hungry, economic growth are not distributed equitably and within countries, as they are across regions.”


The Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed said Federal Government will continue to improve infrastructure facilities across the country to ensure equal development across the country. 
Also speaking, Country Representative of United Nation, Mr Edward Kallon, described the conference as a welcome idea that would set example for the rest of Nigeria. He noted that  inequality persists, and people and societies have been left behind, adding that strong partnership is an indispensable tool needed to realise the SDGs and ensure that no one is left behind. Kallon pledged UN continued support to Kaduna state to ensure the desired success in the implementation of the SDGs for the betterment of all in the state.

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