Almajiri: Again, Nigerians have been scammed, by Malaika K. Tyessi

Only on Thursday did I get to realize that there’s no legislation backing the almajiri system of education in Nigeria- not to talk of an implementation frame work. This simply means that almajiri education is the proverbial goat that belongs to an entire community with individuals believing that the next household will feed it. This is after a decade and more of being within the education space, and with the knowledge that billions of tax payers money including those of donors have been spent for this cause.

As far as the almajiri/out- of school children saga is concerned, I thought the issue of lack of data which had scandalized the nation at home, and before the international community by pegging the figures at 10.5 million for close to 20 years or more was enough. Not until the figure jumped to 13.2 million, and was said to have reduced to 6.9million; then to 13.2 million again, and then to 18/20 million today.

The government at the federal and state levels do not have the accurate data, but shamelessly rely on figures churned out by UNESCO and sometimes-UNICEF, even though the latter usually distances itself from such controversies with claims that it uses figures released by the NBS.

This revelation by Plan International, as shocking as it was, left me wondering if as a nation, the government- particularly state governors are indeed sincere in ending the spate of almajiri/ out-of school children syndrome. I haven’t forgotten that a large number of them fail to pay counterpart funding for the progression of basic education in their states. Some of the northern governors, according to Plan International even said they do not have out-of school children in their states. This is laughable!

There is a commission in charge of almajiri education, and a sister commission in charge of basic education and out-of school children that have been backed by Acts. How did this happen without a legislation in support of almajiri education?

Different ministers have manned the Federal Ministry of Education for years, and have continued to keep Nigerians abreast about this national challenge with the mindset that like the dreaded hydra, it has many parts that have continued to resurface after some victories have been achieved.

With this quantum shame of a nation, it was either the past ministers didn’t know about its lack of legislation and so were meandering in the dark, or they knew, but simply lacked the political will to make and effect a difference through an executive bill.

Nevertheless, on that same Thursday, the minister of state for education did reveal that the National Assembly, through the deputy speaker has assured that with modalities put in place, almajiri education will have legislation.

As much as I still believe in Nigeria, and certain that we are going through a daunting process that should end well, even with the minister’s pronouncements and positive body language, I will never say it is Uhuru. This is coming from the belief that the situation is a case of “once bitten, twice shy”, and for the third time, one becomes a fool.

May Nigeria succeed!