By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto
Itinerant Quranic schooling otherwise known as ‘Almajirci Quranic schools’ is an Islamic educational system, that has been in place even before the nineteenth century Jihad of Sheikh Uthman Bin Fodiyo of blessed memory. History has shown the system was in existence in Kanem Borno as early as the ninth century. And by the fifteenth century, it was well established in places such as Kano, Katsina and Zaria.
A seasoned journalist in Sokoto,Kabiru Umar further explained that the reform movement of Sheikh Uthman Bin Fodiyo further popularized and led to the spread of the system to other areas of the north, that included Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Bauchi, Adamawa, and IIorin among others.The initial stage of the system centered around memorization of the glorious Qur’an and the development of reading and writing skills in Arabic.
Remarkably, the products of this lslamic educational system then, had adequately provided the intellectual and administrative manpower of the Nigerian societies. Contrastingly, the situation as obtained currently presents such products as no longer symbols of genuine Islamic scholarship. It’s a complete debasement of the principles for which the system is underpinned.
It’s glaringly not a hoax, pupils of such schools who should have been kept to learning are released to wander in search of food in houses and in eateries as well as engaged in burdensome responsibilities (washing of clothes and eating plates). It’s a fact, one of the negative consequences of allowing such pupils to roam about to nose for food at the expense of their educational pursuit could demean anything good the society stands for. Added to this, they stand vulnerable of being dragged into deviant behaviours (thuggery, restiveness, alcoholism, drug addiction etc.). These aren’t only scandalous but disheartening, as the country hankers within its fold, spirited pupils/youth that can nod their heads in pleasure as getters of western education laced with entrepreneurial skills, that could make them self sustaining.
The current state on which the Almajirci system of education is hung however, nosedives to paint another state of despondency that doesn’t allow for its prosperity. Addressing the rot therefore in it, is inexorably arduous but not insurmountable. And this aligns with governor Tambuwal’s stance on the issue. At a conclave of Northern State Governors some months ago, the governor’s standpoint was further illuminated when instead of acquiescing to the clamour by his colleagues for the outlawing of the Almajirci system of education opted for its modernisation and rejuvenation.
It’s the Pondok system of Quranic education that came to view. It’s the Indonesian model. It’s said, the system is on stream in that country for nearly 300 years. It integrates Qur’anic pedagogy alongside the learning of vocational skills by pupils. In this way, pupils don’t go out aimlessly and uncontrollably to seek help from outside to eat. They are confined to schools’ environments to learn skills to be able to live on their own after graduation. This, incontrovertibly, appears to be the mindset of governor Tambuwal on Sokoto state’s soil and by extension the whole of northern states where the Almajirci/Qur’anic schools system of education has a firm root.
In Sokoto state particularly, the government has been deeply engaged in the enlightenment of stakeholders in the project, notably proprietors of Qur’anic schools, district heads and other well meaning people across the 87 districts on the unquantifiable merits of the Almajiri Pondok system of education. With glee and enthusiasm the system has had a considerable level of acceptance as a sizeable number of Almajirci/Quranic schools have keyed into the new system.
This presupposed the sensitisation campaign sanctioned by the government and blessed by the Sultanate Council to all those that mattered had borne useful fruits. It’s underlying the need, on one hand, not only the Tambuwal’s administration and our revered Sultanate Council, but all should contribute to the task of reordering the psyche of the society to come to terms with the innumerable advantages of getting our Almajirci schools system reformed for impactful results.
The system is about fusing Qur’anic education with western education together character moulding and skills acquisition on a tray. In such schools, the pupils are availed with the opportunities of sewing, carpentry, masonry, plumbing and welding among other skills. The import of this drive is simple. It entails taking the pupils who are potential youth and leaders of the society off the begging train and goes to guard them against the temptation of involvement in vices/crimes, whose disruptive scars could slow down process of development beyond the bounds of the state.
The adoption of the Indonesian model of Qur’anic/Almajirci system of education in Sokoto state is to say the least, a major impetus transferred to the Nigerian societies by the Tambuwal’s administration. It’s an initiative whose positive touch can’t be contested. And is certain to be felt goodly outside our shores. Again, it’s a step to killing two birds with a stone. While swimming in Qur’anic education, the pupils are guaranteed the leverage of vocational trades for self dependence, thus keeping them away from miscellaneous offences that are at variance with the demands of the Nigerian state.
