Fred Itua, Abuja
President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki and Senate leader, Ahmad Lawan, have called for a review of the Almajiri education curriculum, maintaining that the existing system is not working in bridging the gap.
The duo spoke on the floor of the Senate yesterday to commemorate this year’s Children’s Day.
While Saraki called for an enforcement of the existing laws to ensure that every child is educated, Lawan on the other hand, called on Northern states to reform their Almajiri system of education.
Saraki further said that it must be made mandatory for parents to send their wards to school. He said basic education must be made free in every state to encourage high enrollment.
“In our society where a large percentage of our children are still out of school, we owe that responsibility, not only that all our children have the opportunity to go to school, but we must make it mandatory for parents to ensure they send their wards to school.
“We must have to work towards that at all levels to see that it is not just free education but that parents must be held responsible to ensure that.
He called on new governors to make it a priority as they settle down to govern saying that education remains the greatest asset anyone can bequeath to his children.
“Governors coming, no matter what we do or say at the national level, we owe it a duty that in this area there is a great improvement because unless we address the issues in the education sector, we would not prepare our children for the challenges ahead of them in the world.
“Education is the greatest assets of any nation and that of our children. As we celebrate, we should remember our responsibilities as representatives of the people we would do our best to make the future better for our children,” he added.
On his part, Lawan said: “Even though it is controversial, a time has come in those states where the Almajiri system is established for over 100 years to consider and see how we can work out a system that will ensure the Almajiri system should not continue in the way and manner that it is today.’’
“If we want to bring people on board, why not tamper with the religious learning? Why not provide a climate conducive for these children who roam the streets to go to formal schools’’ he asked.