How Jigawa is building on derided federal initiative to address almajiri challenge

When former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration introduced modern Tsangaya schools in 2012 to absorb out-of-school children—commonly referred to as ‘Almajirai’—across northern Nigeria, Alaramma Illiyasu was among conservative Islamic clerics who fiercely rejected the initiative.

They feared the initiative would undermine Islamic education in the region.

Years later, however, operating from the Janbulo Tsangaya School in the Hadejia Local Government Area of Jigawa State, Mr Illiyasu changed his mind after seeing the federal model school located in the Birniwa Local Government Area.

“I decided to visit the school myself. I was impressed by the learning environment and accommodation facilities. The framework appealed to me because it guarantees that students learn both the Holy Qur’an and conventional subjects alongside modern skills,” Mr Illiyasu told PREMIUM TIMES in October.

He began transferring large numbers of his students to the school.

“I frequently visit the students and find that they are settled and thriving in the new system. I am completely satisfied. In fact, I have requested additional slots to double my enrollment numbers for the upcoming academic session.”

Having run a traditional Tsangaya school for roughly 30 years and drawn students from neighbouring states, Mr Illiyasu’s perspective highlights a broader shift among traditional Tsangaya clerics in the state.

“When the federal government under President Jonathan initiated these modern schools, I initially resisted out of distrust,” he reflected.

“However, seeing the committed leadership of Governor Umar Namadi, and the upgraded schools, I realised this initiative is genuine and was intended to uplift our children, not undermine our faith,” Mr Illiyasu said.

The federal initiative

The state government is building on the foundation provided by the federal initiative.

Under the original federal pilot project in 2012, seven model boarding Tsangaya primary schools were established across the state.

They were the Model Boarding Tsangaya Primary School, Gantsa in Buji LGA; Model Tsangaya School (including facilities at Turabu) in Burniwa LGA; and others in Jahun, Gwiwa, Gagarawa, and Sule Tankarkar LGAs.

Hamisu Adamu is the spokesperson for the traditional Tsangaya schools in the state.

He told PREMIUM TIMES that the federal government’s initiative brought meaningful and positive change to the Tsangaya educational system. He also commended the state government’s efforts in complementing the initiative.

​”Since former President Goodluck Jonathan introduced this programme, it has had an impact across Jigawa. Under the integrated model, children graduate equipped with both Qur’anic and conventional basic education. The state government deserves praise for building upon these foundations, as these continued efforts will go a long way toward addressing the challenges faced by Almajiri pupils.

​”Parents have also noted the positive transformation in the system, highlighting that pupils are now acquiring essential numeracy and literacy skills, unlike in the previous traditional setup,” Mr Adamu said.

What is different now?

The Jigawa State Government has undertaken a systematic reform of the Tsangaya educational system. Its holistic integration model blends Quranic memorisation with academics, technical skills, and basic child welfare.

The process is led by Abubakar Hamisu, the executive secretary of the newly established Jigawa State Tsangaya Education Board (JISTEB). Through the board, the state has scaled up its interventions—moving from a budget allocation of ₦1.82 billion in 2025 to ₦3.5 billion for the 2026 fiscal year.

The state passed the JISTEB Bill, 2024, granting legal authority, dedicated oversight, and budget autonomy to reform the sector.

The budget was increased to ₦3.5 billion in 2026 to execute capital and recurrent initiatives aimed at reaching thousands of out-of-school children.

To scale up integration and support over 1.3 million Almajiri pupils, Mr Hamisu said the board constructed three regional mega Tsangaya schools and expanded model centres in Dutse, Ringim and Kafin Hausa LGAs.

Other active integration hubs were established in Hadejia, Kazaure, Gumel, Taura (Gujungu), Maigatari, and Kiyawa (Shuwarin) LGAs.

Unlike the piecemeal interventions of the past, the state has established a permanent statutory backing for its reforms.

The Tsangaya structure transitions away from single-subject recitation by embedding three distinct tracks: traditional Quranic recitation and Arabic values; basic English, Mathematics, and Science subjects under the federal government’s Accelerated Basic Education Program (ABEP).

Practical trades—including Plaster of Paris (POP), carpentry, plumbing, electrical installations, tailoring, and calligraphy—were also designed to give pupils path-to-market self-reliance, Mr Hamisu said in August during a meeting with Tsangaya teachers.

Model centres

According to the official, the three model facilities in Dutse, Ringim, and Kafin Hausa are equipped with skill acquisition centres, teacher centres, mosques, kitchens, clean water, and solar energy.

Mr Hamisu said a comprehensive overhaul and expansion of seven Tsangaya Model Schools inherited from the 2012 federal government pilot scheme in the state, including Gwiwa, will expand capacity to admit over 7,500 additional children.

Added to that, he said, is the construction of reading sheds, new classrooms, and sanitation infrastructure in 60 community Tsangaya schools in 30 state constituencies, targeting access for over 6,000 children.

Mr Hamisu said the state has partnered with the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Education (NBAIS) to run a six-month specialised training programme for specialised teachers (Alarammas) and created a pathway to enrol the Tsangaya pupils to sit for standard NBAIS examinations, earning recognised Senior School Certificates to pursue further education or white-collar/vocational careers.

The Jigawa State model represents a shift away from short-term relief toward long-term institutional reform.

By creating statutory backing, securing substantial state funding, improving living environments, and offering recognised education alongside trade skills, the state is providing a clear pathway to integrate Almajirai into the formal economy.

Data paint a bigger picture of challenges ahead

A newly released set of reports from the Jigawa State Bureau of Statistics has outlined the scale of key socioeconomic challenges facing the state, providing a baseline for targeted government intervention.

​Governor Namadi said the reports offer critical insights to guide development priorities, enhance public service delivery, and reinforce evidence-based governance.

​The governor highlighted the necessity of using reliable statistics to identify systemic gaps, optimise resource allocation, and monitor sectoral progress.

​”Statistics are not abstract figures. They are the backbone of socioeconomic planning, the basis for sound decisions and strategic resource allocation, and the means by which we assess performance and ensure accountability for results,” Governor Namadi said after receiving the documents on 13 October.

​The report highlights significant figures across the state’s primary and secondary school systems.

It revealed that 1,320,770 pupils were registered across public and private primary schools, with female students being 752,921, representing 57 per cent of total enrollment.

​Public primary schools accounted for 999,130 pupils, public junior secondary schools recorded 214,166 students, and public senior secondary schools enrolled 137,795 students.

Additionally, 167,975 children were enrolled in one-year pre-primary education programmes.

​While the majority of public school teachers hold required professional qualifications—84 per cent at the primary level, 83 per cent in junior secondary, and 82 per cent in senior secondary—pupil-teacher ratios remain high.

Primary schools recorded a ratio of 96:1, junior secondary schools stood at 57:1, and senior secondary schools stood at 38:1.

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​The reports also marked the state’s first comprehensive non-formal education census conducted across the 27 local government areas.

​The survey identified 10,197 non-formal centres catering to 1,116,289 learners across Islamiyya and Tsangaya schools, adult literacy centres, and vocational training programmes.

The census documented pressing welfare concerns among Almajiri learners, showing that 66 per cent rely on community support for their daily meals.

Living facilities of the almajiris were found to be severely stretched, with 61.1 per cent of sleeping quarters requiring major repairs and 3.5 per cent deemed entirely unusable.

​Governor Namadi stated that the data would guide state initiatives to integrate Tsangaya education, improve student welfare, and scale up adult literacy and skill acquisition programmes.

​He noted that the state established the Tsangaya Education Board to drive structural reforms and improve oversight across the non-formal education sector.