Governor Zulum orders vocational skills at 3,226 Almajiri schools

By Bukola Hameed

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum has ordered the integration of vocational skills in over 2,775 Sangaya centres widely known in the northern part of Nigeria as Almajiri schools and 451 Islamiyya Schools across the State.

Zulum gave the order on Tuesday at the Government House when he received an update on the validation and registration of Sangaya Schools in Borno State presented by the Governing Council of Arabic and Sangaya Education Board.

The Governor noted that with the introduction of vocational education, numeracy and literacy skills, Borno State Government intend to streamline the informal and formal education system to qualify Sangaya schools products to get admitted into colleges and universities.

Zulum also observed that the integration of vocational education will help to reduce the number of the out of school children and Almajiri’s roaming the streets in all parts of the State.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Arabic and Sangaya Education Board, Khalifa Ahmad Abulfatahi presented the findings of the validation and registration of Sangaya schools conducted across the 27 local government areas of the state with exception of Kala-Balge, Guzamala and Abadam.

He said the board has registered 2,775 Sanjaya centres with 12,309 teachers and 224,068 pupils. Of the 224,068 pupils, 128,789 are day learners while 97,279 are boarding learners.

He added that the board also identified 451 Islamiyya schools operating across the state.