The Federal Government has rolled out a comprehensive reform of Nigeria’s Almajiri education system, banning the long-standing practice of sending pupils to beg on the streets while introducing compulsory literacy, numeracy, digital education and vocational skills into Qur’anic learning centres nationwide.
The reforms, contained in the newly approved National Policy for the Enhancement of Almajiri Education under the Federal Ministry of Education, seen by BusinessDay, Wednesday, seek to modernise the traditional Qur’anic education system without altering its religious identity, while addressing child protection concerns and reducing the country’s growing out-of-school population.
A key provision of the policy prohibits all registered Almajiri learning centres from sending learners to beg or engage in menial jobs, warning that schools found violating the directive could face sanctions, including closure.
According to the policy document, ‘No learner(s) shall be sent out to beg in the street or do menial jobs.’
It further stated that any registered learning centre that sends learners out to beg ‘shall face appropriate action such as sanction from operation.’
The government explained that the reforms are designed to eradicate begging, abuse and stigmatisation associated with the Almajiri system while ensuring children receive both religious instruction and foundational education that prepares them for productive livelihoods.
Under the new framework, literacy and numeracy will become compulsory components of Almajiri education across the country. Digital literacy, civic education, Arabic language, life skills, technical education and vocational training will also be integrated into the curriculum.
The policy provides that learners should be equipped with practical skills based on their interests or those approved by their parents or guardians to improve their employment prospects and economic independence.
For the first time, graduates of recognised Almajiri learning centres will receive nationally recognised certificates.
The policy stated that a structured certification process would be developed by the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education in collaboration with relevant federal agencies, with successful learners receiving formal certificates upon completion of their studies.
To strengthen accountability and monitoring, the government directed that all Almajiri learning centres must register with the appropriate state or local government authorities.
The centres will also be required to maintain comprehensive manual or electronic records of learners, including biometric data, to establish a nationwide database that will improve planning and oversight.
Beyond academic reforms, the policy introduces minimum operational standards for both day and boarding schools.
Prospective learners must undergo health screening before admission, while facilitators will be subjected to periodic medical examinations.
Each learning centre will also be expected to register with a nearby public health facility, maintain a functional first aid box, provide adequate water supply and sanitation facilities, ensure proper ventilation, prevent overcrowding and provide separate learning spaces for male and female learners.
The government also prescribed minimum standards for boarding facilities to improve the welfare and safety of children.
Registered Almajiri schools will become eligible for government support, including learning materials, nutrition services, healthcare interventions, school feeding programmes, scholarships for facilitators and, where state resources permit, teaching allowances.
The policy also provides for the professional development of Alarammas and other facilitators through existing teacher training programmes coordinated by agencies such as the Universal Basic Education Commission, State Universal Basic Education Boards, the National Teachers’ Institute and the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria.
According to the policy, the reforms are intended to improve-not abolish-the traditional Almajiri system.
‘It is developed not to take over learning centres but to provide clear operational guidelines, direction and streamline activities of the Almajiri education system. This is to guarantee the learners’ and teachers’ security, promote their well-being and engender economic productivity among the learners,’ the document stated.
The Federal Government attributed many of the challenges confronting the Almajiri system to years of neglect, inadequate funding, weak regulation, parental abandonment and widespread misconceptions.
It noted that the practice of children roaming the streets in search of food and alms had exposed thousands of learners to exploitation, abuse, poor living conditions and other social risks while contributing significantly to Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.
The policy also gives special attention to girls enrolled in Qur’anic education, acknowledging that they have historically received less institutional support despite facing heightened risks of neglect, exploitation and limited access to formal education.
Implementation of the policy will involve the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, state governments, local government education authorities, traditional rulers, parents, community leaders and development partners.
The commission will coordinate nationwide implementation, establish a comprehensive database of learners and teachers, mobilise funding, enforce child protection standards, support the registration of learning centres and oversee the integration of basic education, technical and vocational training and digital literacy into the Almajiri system.
The reform follows the establishment of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education in 2023 to coordinate interventions aimed at tackling Nigeria’s out-of-school children challenge.
Nigeria is home to one of the world’s largest populations of out-of-school children, with a significant proportion concentrated in northern states where the traditional Almajiri system remains prevalent. Earlier interventions, including the establishment of Almajiri model schools and efforts to integrate Qur’anic education into the Universal Basic Education programme, achieved limited success due to inadequate funding, poor maintenance and weak coordination.
The newly approved National Policy for the Enhancement of Almajiri Education is expected to provide the country’s first comprehensive national framework governing the registration, curriculum, welfare, funding, monitoring and regulation of Almajiri learning centres while promoting child protection and expanding access to quality education for vulnerable children.