Group builds thatched school for nomadic children in Jigawa

A grassroots education organisation, The Transit Education Initiative, has built a thatched school in Rugar Jatau, Malam-Madori Local Government Area of Jigawa State, to provide learning opportunities for children in the remote settlement.

The initiative, which is aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children, said the learning centre would provide both Western and Islamic education to children in underserved communities.

Speaking in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, the Coordinator of the organisation, Dr Tijjani Mukaddas, said the project was designed to address the difficulty faced by children living far from conventional schools.

Mukaddas said, “This is part of our grassroots effort to take education closer to children in underserved nomadic communities across Jigawa State.

“This programme is aimed at helping to bridge the educational exclusion gap in Nigeria. Many nomadic children still lack access to formal schooling because of where they live and the challenges of reaching existing schools.”

Giving details of the intervention in Rugar Jatau, the coordinator said more than 300 children had been re-enrolled through the programme, with four teachers currently teaching them different subjects.

He added that more than 10 communities in Kafin Hausa and settlements bordering Jahun and Miga Local Government Areas had also been mobilised to encourage parents to enrol their children.

Mukaddas said the organisation planned to establish more learning centres in communities where children had limited access to education, adding that the expansion would depend on funding and support from individuals and organisations.

“There is a need for government and stakeholders to work together to bring every out-of-school child back into the education system. Communities in remote areas should also benefit from educational interventions because their children deserve the same opportunities as those in urban centres,” he said.

The coordinator said several communities in Jigawa currently had no access to formal schools.

He listed Ataru Karate, Alimawa, Garin Malammai, Gidan Gabar, Gidan Lilo, Salamawa, Ataru, Gidan Na Dabo, Rukumawa, Goran and Jata among the communities without schools.

“We are planning to build thatch schools in these areas,” he added.

He also said children in Tsuburowa community, Malam-Madori LGA, currently learn under trees.

• Jigawa varsity staff reject govt offer, threaten warning strike
• Jigawa Hisbah operatives begin training to boost capacity
• LASG begins construction of 1.08km roads in Igando

“For Tsuburowa community in Malam-Madori LGA, they learn under the trees. We plan to build makarantar zana, ‘the Hut school’, for them.

“For Kandalari community in Kaugama Local Government, there is no school there,” the coordinator stated.

According to him, the initiative also plans to extend its intervention to border communities in Maigatari and Birniwa local government areas.

“By the grace of God, we are planning to extend our project to border communities in Maigatari and Birniwa Local Governments where Fulani communities live without education,” he stated.

Mukaddas said the latest intervention built on an earlier programme in Malam-Madori, where more than 100 out-of-school children were returned to learning through the provision of reading materials, uniforms and other educational support.

He called on the Jigawa State Government, local authorities, development partners, philanthropists and other stakeholders to support the initiative and help provide schools in hard-to-reach communities.

Residents of Rugar Jatau welcomed the intervention, saying the lack of schools had made it difficult for their children to access education.

A 48-year-old father of nine, Ibrahim Ado, said, “For years our children have been learning under trees with no chairs, no books, and no teachers. We are very happy that this project has remembered us.

“We want our children to receive education that will prepare them for the future while also giving them Islamic knowledge. This programme is giving us an opportunity that we have been waiting for.”

Another resident, Musbahu Ammai, said the construction had provided relief for parents in the community.

“We thank the Transit Education Initiative. Now our children will have a place called makarantar zana where they can learn. May God bless them.

“Before this school was established, many children had to stay at home because the existing schools were too far away. Now, parents are encouraged because their children can learn within the community,” he stated.

The residents also appealed to the government and other organisations to support the initiative so that more children in remote and border communities could benefit from the programme.