Kano Government Bans Street Begging By Almajiris, Erring Parents To Face Legal Action

The Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje has on February 25 announced a ban on street begging by children popularly referred to as Almajiris.

Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje announced this during the launch of Basic Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) and Distribution of Offer of Appointment to 7,500 volunteer teachers, held in Kano.

While confirming the news, the governor’s spokesperson, Abba Anwar, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES said the effort was to fully consolidate the free and compulsory primary and secondary schools education in the state.

Anwar stated that the decision was meant to integrate the Almajiri system into the policy and address the lingering problem of street begging.

In the statement, Ganduje warned that onward Almajiri teachers must accept the new approach put in place by the state government.

He added that;

If almijiri teacher thinks he cannot accept the new policy he has to leave the state. When Almajiri are caught begging, it is not only that beggar is caught, but his parents or guardians. Such parents or guardians would be taken to court to face the wrath of the law.

The governor said;

This policy of free and compulsory basic and secondary education goes along with its integration of our Almajiri system into the mainstream policy implementation. This suggests that English and Arithmetic must be included in the Almajiri schools curriculum.

This, according to him, will give those children other types of education, while they will continue acquiring their knowledge of the Holy Qur’an, ‘that will give them an opportunity to continue with their studies to secondary schools and beyond.’

At the event, 7,500 newly recruited teacher volunteers under the BESDA programme were given letters of appointment.

The statement added that they will be posted to Islamiyyah and Almajiri schools, so that Almajiri schools would be fully integrated under the new policy of education. 

Ganduje, who lamented the ugly situation of the social misnomer, said that;

This policy of free and compulsory basic and secondary education goes along with it integration of our Almajiri system into the mainstream policy implementation. Which suggests that English and Arithmetic must be included in the Almajiri schools curriculum.

He further explained that such will give them an opportunity to continue with their studies to secondary schools and beyond.