Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa on Monday reiterated his administration’s commitment to reforming and modernising Tsangaya schools, saying an almajiri should not be regarded as an out-of-school child.
Namadi said this during an interaction with Tsangaya school teachers across the state, organised by the Jigawa State Tsangaya Education Board.
“This meeting is very important to us because we believe Qur’anic education deserves greater attention and support,” he said, describing the engagement as the first of its kind between government officials and Tsangaya teachers.
The governor disclosed that Jigawa has over 4,000 Tsangaya and Qur’anic schools with more than 1.3 million pupils, stressing that neglecting the system would be “a serious loss to society.”
“We established this agency so that Qur’anic education will be included in the annual budget of the Jigawa State Government,” he said.
Namadi emphasised that almajiri pupils were students and not out-of-school children, adding that the state was modernising Tsangaya education without undermining its religious foundations.
“Our Tsangaya schools integrate Qur’anic studies, modern education and vocational skills, so that every learner acquires three key competencies,” he said.
He also disclosed that the state was collaborating with the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), noting that nearly 100 Qur’anic teachers had been trained and certified.
Namadi announced plans to recruit 500 teachers for Tsangaya schools in the 2026 budget and expand training and funding for the sector.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Abubakar Maje Hamisu, commended the governor’s leadership and outlined interventions, including the establishment of Mega Tsangaya Schools and the Almajiri Begging-Free Zone initiative.
Hamisu said 2,000 almajiri children had been enrolled in government-owned Tsangaya schools across the state under the programme.
