The Plight Of Al-majiri In Controversy Nigeria And A Way Forward -By Ahmad Yahaya Abu-Abiy

The term Al-Majiri, singular and Al-Majirai, plural which referred to student(s) or pupil(s) are Hausa words that emanated from Arabic word ‘Al-Muhajirun’, meaning the companions of Prophet Muhammad S.A.W. who migrated from Mecca to Madina with him. Al-Majiranci or Al-Majiri school system in Northern Nigerian context referred to a school system where young children are sent to towns and villages far away from their homes of residence for the purpose of acquiring Islamic knowledge, basically Qur’anic knowledge. The school building, which is termed as Tsangaya, usually small and frugal with little or no facilities at all used to house 40-100 Al-Majiris headed by a Mallam (Qur’anic Teacher).

The practice dated 11th century in Kanem-Borno Empire which was later replicated in the Sokoto Caliphate after the triumphant of the Jihad led by Sheikh Othman Danfodio. It was then funded from the public treasury until 1904 when the British invaded Northern Nigeria and had it abolished. They initiated the funding of western education “Boko” instead. This development led the Mallams to lose their jobs as the possession of western education was the only means of obtaining a decent white collar jobs, hence their incomes cut-off and still with the burden of feeding hundreds of Al-Majiris left in their hands. This they couldn’t cope with. They instead resorted to sending them to street to beg, which was the origin of street begging popularly known as Bara. Ever since then, streets were submerged by bowl carrying mob begging for alms.

Street begging has thrived for so long unopposed until in the recent times when the general public except few saw it as a problem that evidently exposed the little Al-Majiris to a lot of vulnerabilities such as drug abuse, being a potential Boko Haram recruits, political and religion conflicts agents, kidnapping and banditry, trafficking, cultism, prostitution, and the likes of other social vices.

To add to their plight, the outbreak of COVID-19 global pandemics has triggered some State Governments to forcefully evacuated and returned them back to their states of origin notably Kano, Kaduna, Katsina and the host of other states due to the imposition of a total lock down in these states and a fear of a rapid spread of the virus as the Al-Majiris used to have a lot of contact within themselves and with the outside people. Of course yes! Majority of them have tested positive for the virus when subjected to a test. This measure which is seen as a partial solution to end the practice and a pathway to formalize it has suffered a lot of criticism from some section of the general public.

In all and sundry, parents are largely to be blamed for the plight of Al-Majiris today, because of improper parenting and poverty. They gave births to a lot of children they cannot take care of. Instead, they resorted to sending them to Al-Majiri School since it is cheap and affordable thereby creating spaces for them to marry more wives. There are a lot of Islamiyya within their neighborhood remember.

Government in its effort to resolve the plight of Al-majiri has in recent years displayed remarkable commitment in tackling the issue. One of the efforts made by the government was in 2013, when the Al-Majiri system was integrated into the main stream educational system of the country; and was formally signed into law and presented to the National Economic Council in July 2013. Furthermore, the National Committee on Implementation of Al-Majiri Education Program was established to ensure that the pupils are provided with opportunities to access Basic Education. Yet, much more still needs to be done, as the impact was not seen nor felt.

It is worthy to note that however, over decades of the practice, despite its ups and downs, the Al-Majiri School system has seen the rise of prominent Islamic Scholars who propagated and are still propagating the teachings of Islam in the nooks and crannies of the country notably the Northern part and some parts of Africa and the world. Though, in an organize manner.
In the end, this piece has succeeded in describing the historical background of Al-Majiri school system and the relevance of its practice in propagating Islamic knowledge, Government effort to better the system, consequences of street begging and other abuses Al-Majiri suffers in contemporary Nigeria and who to be blamed for it.

Having said this, the following are recommended:

1. Government should first and foremost revert to the inception of the system when it was funded from the public treasury by the then Kanem-Borno and Sokoto Caliphate.
2. The system should be fully incorporated into national education plan.
3. School structures for the Al-Majiris should be constructed where necessary.
4. Al-Majiris should be included in the Government national school feeding program in order to stop them from street begging.
5. The Mallams should be specially educated and trained and be employed afterwards.
6. Entrepreneurial skills and training and adult education should form part of their curriculum.
7. The system should be fully regulated by Government. Close and constant monitoring and supervision should be observed in order to check all negative instructions and orientation.
8. No child should be allowed to go for studies outside his area of residence and only a specific age limit should be entertained.
9. Parent should be discouraged from irresponsible bearing of children they cannot take care of perhaps through family planning education.
10. Government should introduce more poverty alleviation programs.
11. Government should finally criminalize child abuse and parental negligence by placing appropriate sanctions and or punishment. Therefore, we should all know that children are Allah’s best of gifts to us and we shall be asked by Him how we handle such precious gifts He placed in our custody. To add to this, failure to take heed from the aforementioned way forward and implement them, simply to end the plight of an Al-Majiri in contemporary Nigeria, is tantamount to incubating a dynamite that will likely explode and consume us all sooner or later.