National
No Plan To Ban Alimajari System – Presidency
Governors Must Play Their Part To Stop It
The Presidency has rebuffed reports of plans to forcefully ban the Alimajiri system of forcefully recruiting small children to beg for Islamic teachers saying it is a challenge that must be addressed using the mechanism of the law.
The presidency has also charged governors to do their part by providing the necessary educational supports that would discourage the system in their states.
Presidency spokesman Mallam Garba Shehu made the clarification in a statement in Abuja late on Friday. It was in response to news reports that quoted the National Security Adviser, NSA, Babagana Monguno, as saying that the system would soon be proscribed upon its security challenges to the nation.
Responding in the statement, Shehu said that while abrogating the system remained an objective, he affirmed that “there is no immediate ban of it by the Buhari Administration, as widely reported by the media.”
He affirmed that the objective of the Buhari administration remained to use education to bring the practice to an end.
“Indeed, the Federal government wants a situation where every child of primary school age is in school rather than begging on the streets during school hours.
“At the same time, we don’t want to create panic or a backlash.
Reports that there are plans for massive arrest of parents are definitely out of place. Things have to be done the right and considerate way.
“Free and compulsory primary school education is a requirement of the Nigerian constitution and any individual or group not in compliance with this is violating the law of the land and liable to be punished.
“In his speech at the inauguration of NEC, President Buhari stated, without equivocation, that the country’s children have rights and must be given their due rights and protection under the law.
“As many have stated in their views, the Alimajiri phenomenon represents a security challenge and a scar on the face of Northern Nigeria.”
“But in addition to relevant consultations, State governors need to put in place structures like schools and educational materials for pupils; otherwise, they also, are complicit in violating the law of the land.”
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