The Federal Government has commenced a comprehensive effort to reclaim and rehabilitate the 157 model Almajiri schools constructed during the tenure of former President Goodluck Jonathan, according to the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education (NCAOOSCE).
Nura Muhammad, the commission’s spokesperson, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday that the initiative represents a significant move to revive and firmly institutionalise Almajiri education across the country. He noted that the recovery process is already in progress, with plans to bring all affected schools fully under the commission’s management ahead of their renovation.
Muhammad said the renewed drive follows the establishment of a legally recognised national body mandated to oversee all Almajiri-related educational activities—an institutional backbone that was missing during earlier reform attempts.
He commended former President Jonathan for launching the 157 model schools, calling the project “a noble and well-intentioned effort to modernise the system.” However, he highlighted several challenges that hindered the programme’s effectiveness, including insufficient engagement with Alarammas—traditional Qur’anic instructors central to the Almajiri learning structure.
He further noted that the initiative previously existed only as a programme under the Federal Ministry of Education, lacking a strong framework to ensure continuity and sustainability.
With the commission now backed by law and supported by a newly adopted National Policy on Almajiri Education, Muhammad said the government is strategically positioned to address long-standing issues within the system and implement lasting, meaningful reforms.
“These schools will soon be completely under our control and subsequently rehabilitated so they can fulfil the purpose for which they were originally established,” he assured.
