Bauchi to integrate Western education into Tsangaya schools
The Bauchi State Government has inaugurated a technical committee on Tsangaya and Islamiyya schools in order to advance the education sector in the state.
Speaking at the inauguration on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Education, Muhammed Lawal, stated that the move was to incorporate Western education into the Islamiyya and Tsangaya schools to enhance the quality of education in the state.
He said it is in line with the Federal Government’s newly established structures for the integration of non-formal education for effective management.
“We want to address the issue of out-of-school children, and this idea came as a result of a round table meeting so as to see how we can work together and find a lasting solution to the issue of out-of-school children in the state.
“We also want those in these schools to have formal teachings. Apart from the Islamic form of education, it is high time that they get integrated into Western education.
“In the Islamiyya and Tsangaya schools, it is hoped that from now on, Western education will be incorporated into their curriculum.
“One of the terms of reference of the committee is to ensure proper implementation of guidelines and ensure that what is meant for the integration of Western education into the curriculum is incorporated and adopted as agreed upon,” he said.
The commissioner also explained that the committee would also ensure that the ministry has an accurate number of pupils in the annual school census.
He called on parents and guardians to take advantage of the investment the state government is putting into education to send their children to school.
“We are advocating that every child go back to the classroom, be it Islamiyya or Western form of education, and our major concern is to ensure that our Western form of education is integrated in our Islamiyya schools,” he reiterated.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman, House Committee on Education in Bauchi, Nasir Ala, lauded the establishment of the committee.
He said it was a welcomed development in the education system.
“Personally, I felt overwhelmed because on November 18, 2024, I presented a motion on the floor of the state House of Assembly, and it got a wider acceptance as all members of the house supported it.
“That motion called on the Executive Arm of government to remodel Quranic and Tsangaya schools to integrate foundation literacy, numeracy and vocational education or training in their curriculum.
“This is because going by the trend of the day, we in the Northern part of the country have already accepted Islamic education and some parts of West and North Africa have also accepted it.
“But what will worry you here in Nigeria is that we fail to accommodate that traditional Tsangaya and Quranic school model in our Western education as formal education.
“And this has dented the image of us Northerners that our Quranic and Tsangaya pupils are just out-of-school children, and this is because they are not formally recognised,” he said.
He said this was due to the absence of their incorporation and integration into Western education.
