The Federal Government has approved a sweeping reform of Nigeria’s Almajiri education system, prohibiting 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, are designed to modernise the traditional Qur’anic education system without altering its religious identity, while addressing child protection concerns and reducing the country’s out-of-school population.
A key provision of the policy bars all registered Almajiri learning centres from sending learners to beg or engage in menial jobs. Centres that violate the directive risk sanctions, including closure.
According to the policy, “No learner(s) shall be sent out to beg in the street or do menial jobs,” adding that any registered learning centre that contravenes the directive “shall face appropriate action such as sanction from operation.”
The government said the reforms aim to eliminate begging, abuse and stigmatisation associated with the Almajiri system while equipping learners with religious instruction alongside foundational education that supports economic productivity.
Under the new framework, literacy and numeracy will become compulsory across all Almajiri schools. Digital literacy, civic education, Arabic language, life skills, technical education and vocational training will also be integrated into the curriculum.
Learners will be trained in practical skills based on their interests or with the approval of their parents or guardians to improve employability and promote economic independence.
In a major shift, graduates of recognised Almajiri learning centres will receive nationally recognised certificates. The National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education will develop a structured certification process in collaboration with relevant federal agencies.
To improve regulation and planning, all Almajiri learning centres will be required to register with relevant state or local government authorities and maintain comprehensive manual or electronic records of learners, including biometric data, to support a nationwide database.
The policy also introduces minimum operational standards for both day and boarding schools. Prospective learners must undergo health screening before admission, while facilitators will be required to undertake periodic medical examinations.
Learning centres must register with nearby public health facilities, maintain functional first aid boxes, provide adequate water and sanitation, ensure proper ventilation, prevent overcrowding and provide separate learning spaces for male and female learners. Minimum standards have also been prescribed for boarding facilities to improve the welfare and safety of children.
Registered schools will become eligible for government support, including learning materials, nutrition and healthcare services, school feeding programmes, scholarships for facilitators and, where resources permit, teaching allowances.
The policy further provides for the professional development of Alarammas and other facilitators through teacher training programmes coordinated by agencies including the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs), the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) and the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
The government stressed that the policy is intended to strengthen rather than replace the traditional Almajiri system by providing operational guidelines, improving learner welfare and enhancing economic opportunities.
It attributed longstanding challenges in the system to inadequate funding, weak regulation, parental neglect and widespread misconceptions, noting that street begging has exposed thousands of children to exploitation, abuse and poor living conditions while worsening Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.
The policy also places special emphasis on improving access to education for girls enrolled in Qur’anic schools, recognising their heightened vulnerability to neglect and limited educational opportunities.
Implementation will involve the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, state governments, local education authorities, traditional rulers, parents, community leaders and development partners.
The commission will coordinate nationwide implementation, oversee the registration of learning centres, establish a comprehensive database of learners and teachers, mobilise funding and drive the integration of basic education, digital literacy and vocational training into the Almajiri system.
The reforms build on 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.
The government expects the new policy to provide the country’s first comprehensive framework for regulating Almajiri learning centres while expanding access to quality education, strengthening child protection and developing a more productive workforce.
