The Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) has reaffirmed its commitment to addressing the alarming number of out-of-school children and the persistent Almajiri challenge across the region.
The forum plans to achieve this through a strengthened partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).
This pledge was made during a recent meeting between Governor MNorthern Governors Seek to Revitalize Almajiri System with IsDB Aiduhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, the Chairman of the NSGF, and a delegation from the IsDB, led by the Bank’s Country Representative, Dr. Hasanul Kibria.
Governor Yahaya expressed deep concern over the high rates of educational exclusion in Northern states, particularly among Almajiri children. He emphasized the importance of leveraging the IsDB’s SMART Education project to not only broaden access to education but also to enhance its quality and improve learning outcomes.
“The Northern states are deeply troubled by the rising rates of educational exclusion,” Governor Yahaya stated. “We are fully committed to working with development partners like the Islamic Development Bank to confront this crisis head-on.”
Governor Yahaya also highlighted Gombe State’s proactive approach to modernizing the Almajiri system. The state has begun integrating formal education with Islamic teachings, upgrading infrastructure, and enhancing teacher training to bring out-of-school children back into the classroom and better serve those in Tsangaya schools.
In a statement released by Ismaila Uba Misilli, Director-General of Press Affairs at the Government House, the NSGF Chairman announced plans to convene an expanded meeting with key stakeholders to focus on the out-of-school children crisis.
He praised the IsDB for its ongoing support in the education sector and called for broader collaboration in areas such as agriculture, animal husbandry, livelihoods, and human capital development. He also highlighted Gombe’s strategic location and conducive business environment as promising for future investments.
Earlier in the meeting, Dr. Hasanul Kibria detailed the IsDB’s SMART Education initiative, co-financed by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and supported by various Arab development institutions. The project is specifically designed to address the pressing educational needs of states with high rates of out-of-school children, particularly in Northern Nigeria.
