FIC Report (Kano State) – The Kano State Government reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing Arabic and Islamic education by integrating it more fully with the conventional education system. This was announced during a one-day stakeholders’ sensitization and interactive meeting organized by the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) in Kano. The Kano State Commissioner of Education, Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa, represented by Alhaji Bashir Baffa Muhammad, disclosed that the government, under Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, is addressing various challenges within Qur’anic and Islamiyya schools, including the recruitment of more teachers and payment of examination fees.
The state has also expanded the curriculum of NBAIS schools to include Art and Commercial subjects, with plans to add Science subjects, ensuring students can secure university admissions across Nigeria. Additionally, a memorandum of understanding with Egypt has provided Kano with Arabic teaching staff, and fifty students have been awarded scholarships to study at Al-Azhar University in Cairo.
The event also featured insights from Jigawa State, where Commissioner of Education Professor Isah Yusuf Chamo announced efforts to enhance Arabic and Islamic education, including the construction of mega Tsangaya schools. Special Adviser on Education, Hon. Tajuddeen Gambo, highlighted Kano’s ongoing integration of Qur’anic and Islamiyya schools into the conventional system.
Professor Y. S. Imam, NBAIS Registrar, emphasized the importance of collaboration in integrating Qur’anic and Tsangaya education into mainstream education. Dr. Muhammad Mujtaba Abdulkadir’s presentation underscored entrepreneurship as a solution to challenges like Almajiri begging. Participants from various education boards shared their expectations, signaling a collective commitment to the future of Arabic and Islamic education in Kano.
Signed
Kabiru Haruna
Assistant Director Information and Public Relations
FIC, Kano
