Wife of Bauchi Governor calls for parental responsibility to improve almajiri welfare
By Amina Umar:
Islamiyya and Tsangaya teachers have been urged to ensure that parents take responsibility for their children’s upkeep when enrolling them in Almajiri education.
The wife of the Bauchi State Governor, Dr Aisha Bala Muhammad, made the call during a two-week training workshop for Tsangaya and Islamiyya teachers from the state’s 20 local government areas.
The workshop was sponsored by the Nigerian Arabic Language Village NALV in collaboration with the North-East Development Commission NEDC, held at the Hajj Camp Conference Hall, Bauchi.
Dr Aisha Bala said every teacher should know the number of pupils their school could accommodate, which according to her this would enable teachers to care for their students and fulfil their family responsibilities.
She also called on parents to visit their children regularly to monitor their welfare, which according to her, this would help reduce the maltreatment of junior Almajiri by senior students.
The First Lady expressed satisfaction with the programme, which equipped teachers with various skills they can pass on to their students, families and communities.
She said the initiative would help them become self-reliant.
Dr Aisha commended the Nigerian Arabic Language Village and the North-East Development Commission for the initiative.
Dr. Aisha Bala Muhammad pledged to continue providing the participants with knowledge in various fields through her Al-Muhibbah Foundation, urging them to share the knowledge they acquired with others.
In her remarks, the Programme Officer of the Nigerian Arabic Language Village, Dr Fa’iza Garba, said the programme was designed to reduce begging among Almajiri by equipping teachers with skills to teach their students how to become self-reliant.
Dr. Fa’iza said the programme would cover states across the North-East, with 100 people to be trained in each state.
The training began in Maiduguri, continued in Gombe and Bauchi, and would proceed to Yobe State after the Bauchi exercise.
In a vote of thanks on behalf of the participants, Malam Aminu Ibrahim Gwasamai commended the Governor’s wife for her visit and concern
He appealed to the First Lady to provide them with capital to enable them put their newly acquired skills into practice.
The skills learned during the training include, incense production, room freshener production, interior decoration and painting.
