The Katsina government says it registered 25,922 almajiri pupils across the state and has identified and integrated 255 Qur’anic schools from 2019 to date, costing $21 million.

The State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB)’s executive chairman Lawal Buhari disclosed this on Tuesday in Katsina.

Mr Buhari added that 540 facilitators and mentors were also identified and trained, saying the achievement was recorded through the Basic Education Services Delivery for All (BESDA) intervention.

According to him, the registration and integration are to reposition the system to enable them to learn Western Education in addition to their Islamic education.

He further revealed that the Katsina government, through the intervention, within the period under review, spent $21 million.

The SUBEB chair explained that BESDA is a World Bank intervention programme to support states with the highest number of out-of-school children.

“Katsina state has the highest number of out-of-school children of about 1,135,000, which comprises almajirai, nomads, IDPs and vulnerable children. The implementation of the programme started in 2019 with the selection of 22 local government areas across the state for the reduction of out-of-school children,” Mr Buhari stated. “Also, 13 LGAs for intensive literacy programme using RANA and Jolly Phonics Models. From 2019 to date, 255 Qur’anic Learning Centres were integrated under the programme.”

He added that the programme reduced 361,525 out-of-school children, representing 36 per cent of the set target in the selected LGAs in Katsina.

The SUBEB boss added that the BESDA programme would wind up in October, appealing to the World Bank through the federal government to extend the programme beyond the period.

He commended Governor Aminu Masari for developing the basic education sector in Katsina. 

(NAN)