Almajiri is a Hausa word that refers to itinerant children in search of knowledge or Quranic education. It is a system of Islamic education practiced in northern Nigeria. Also, it was derived from an Arabic word, rendered “Al-Muhajirun” meaning a person who leaves his home in search of Islamic knowledge.
During the precolonial era, Almajiri was formerly called Tsangaya. It was established under the Kanem Borno Empire, one of the oldest ruling empires in the world extending from the frontiers of northern Nigeria across the Chadian region up to the borders of Libya.
It was established as an organized and comprehensive system of education for learning Islamic principles, values, jurisprudence and ultimately the recitation and memorization of the glorious Quran which became Islamic learning centres in all Muslim communities.
It is a worthy of note that the system that was hitherto organized and well charted has now been bastardized and abused. It has deviated from its original purpose and is currently giving Islam a bad name and Nigeria a bad image in the international community is to admit the obvious.
Apparently, the system as it is being practiced today is totally unislamic. Also, the curriculum contents, teaching methods, teachers’ qualification, infrastructure and administration have been compromised, therefore the Quranic school has become archaic and an anachronism.
Conventionally, an Almajiri is expected to be educationally oriented in the basics of Islam in his early childhood to prepare him for a chaste Muslim adulthood. But the common practice in northern Nigeria today has deviated from this norm, giving way to a mass of bowl-carrying, children roaming the streets in search of one thing or the other.
According to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, Almajiri syndrome is depleting the north of needed manpower for its regional growth and development.
In Nigeria, we use the term to describe children who live on the alms they get from the streets. It used to be a common sight witnessing boys begging, but recently, girls are found clinging to passer-by and in moving traffic. These girls are known as Almajiras, without underplaying the plight of the Almajiri boys, the inclusion of girls is particularly worrisome, given the broader gender issues in the region and greater vulnerability for girls when it comes to sexual exploitation.
Also, they are vulnerable to being manipulated and used by political leaders and their benefactors who take advantage of their lack of formal education and they are considered as great security risks as many of them have breeding grounds for antisocial elements.
Unfortunately, what we see on a daily basis is children roaming about the streets in tattered clothes, barefooted, extremely dirty, looking malnourished with dry lips and dry faces, rashes all over their bodies, moving from house to house, street to street, you will find them everywhere all in the name of Almajiri. Also, they consume all kinds of food, fresh or stale, their common food is known as “Gajala” which is a combination of food like tuwo, da miya, rice, yam, pasta, and dan wake, all in one container which look like fresh vomit.
These victims of neglect were also victims of exploitation, many give them leftovers out of sympathy or after exploiting them for menial jobs; many resort to wheelbarrow pushing, street taunting and so on and they became a burden as well as nuisance to the society.
There are several problems that are affecting Almajiris; which has led to deny millions of children to have access to formal education and subject them to begging and child labour for survival.
Poverty is one of the major problems that is affecting them. They lack adequate family cover and children are sent out to the streets under the guise of Almajiri as soon as the family’s resources are overstretched. They grew up in the streets without the love, care, and guidance of parents; they struggle for survival expose them to abuse (homosexuality and pedophilia), used as a slave, brainwashed, and recruited for antisocial activities and used for destructive and violent activities. For instance, a child neglected by his/her parents is vulnerable to diseases and social crimes; in order to survive, he often has to beg from “dusk to dawn” after which he returns to the school.
Irrespective of gender, section 30 of the Child Right Acts states; “A child shall not be used for the purpose of begging for alms, guiding beggars, prostitution, domestic or sexual labour or for any unlawful or immoral purpose.”
Also, inadequate infrastructural facilities and poor funding from government are major challenges facing the Almajiri system of education. The government’s nonchalant attitude of fending for the citizenry that result in millions of our youths daily roaming the streets looking for what to eat, and this is not only about Almajiri.
Meanwhile, this phenomenon represents a scar on the face and a sad commentary on the elite of northern Nigeria. Islam enjoins man to work, to use his brain and hands in order to eke out a living for himself. It is when all this fail, that one could resort to begging, for any person who is hale and hearty, it is Haram to resort to begging.
In the same vein, the probable reason why we are different from them is the fact that we are lucky to have better parents and more favourable environment than they had. They had their dreams too as children with some wanted to become doctors, lawyers, lecturers, teachers, engineers, government workers etc. Unfortunately, their dreams were shattered by the circumstances they found themselves. Many of us wouldn’t have become what we are today if not for the unrelenting efforts of our parents, relatives and our immediate environments. These are privileges that the Almajiri lacked that resulted in their current predicament.
However, the real Almajiris are supposed to be children in search of education who today support their life of deprivation by begging for alms; their most conspicuous possession being a begging bowl. Also, their culture epitomises child abused, social exclusion and chronic poverty in all ramifications. Because the system is believed to be rooted in Islamic religion and Fulani cultural practices, many attempts to reverse the trend or put an end to such abuse of humanity has always hit a brick wall.
In proffering a solution, it is first important to change the way we view and treat the Almajiri, not as “one of them” but as “one of us”, not as potential terrorists but as victims of a failed system. Stop discriminating; we are all one big family.
The fact that Almajiris go out begging and living in bad conditions does not mean that nothing can be done to fix the problems. Banning or abolishing is not the solution, as we cannot afford to throw away the bathing water with the child in it. That is not acceptable, it is actually possible to revive and sanitize the system and make it work perfectly again. It is therefore very critical at this moment for government at all levels to consider Almariji and provide them with opportunities and access to basic education programme. Although, government cannot be able to achieve the desired goal alone without partnering with some organizations such as Non-Governmental Organization; like Almajiri Support Initiative (ASI) and all other Tsangaya across the country must be identified and registered with NGOs. The partnership can only be achieved by first signing a solid and binding agreement to form a working synergy among them.
In view of today’s reality; the system should be abolished while the education of our children should be considered as a matter of utmost urgency and priority, no child should be left behind.
“Almajiri is not meant for alms begging; it is a system of Islamic education whereby children are expected to search for knowledge not for begging alms.”
