Dutse, Nigeria – An Islamic cleric has been expelled from a community in Jigawa State for preaching against Western education and discouraging the enrollment of children in conventional schools, according to Ado Yakubu, a member of the Jigawa State House of Assembly representing the Gwaram constituency.
Yakubu revealed that the expulsion was carried out by the community’s traditional leaders as part of their efforts to tackle the problem of out-of-school children. He shared these details during an event organized by the Jigawa State Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in collaboration with UNICEF, aimed at boosting school enrollment in the state.
The lawmaker explained that the cleric’s teachings were harmful to the community’s progress, stating, “A cleric was influencing locals not to enrol their children in acquiring Western education. After discussions with traditional leaders, we found his perspective discouraging and misleading, so we decided to expel him because he was not contributing positively and wasn’t an indigene of the town.”
Yakubu also highlighted other challenges contributing to the high number of out-of-school children in the area. These include inter-community rivalries preventing children from attending schools in neighboring villages, personal grudges among parents, and long distances to access basic amenities like water, which keeps children from school.
“We have identified 43 villages with a high burden of out-of-school children in Gwaram LGA, and we are working on providing solutions, including installing boreholes to reduce the need for long walks to fetch water,” Yakubu added.
Professor Haruna Musa, Chairperson of SUBEB, underscored the government’s efforts, noting that measures such as engaging mothers’ associations have been introduced to reduce the number of out-of-school children and improve learning outcomes. He also commended Governor Umar Namadi’s administration for hiring thousands of teachers to support the state’s educational system.
Despite these efforts, challenges remain, with Musa lamenting some parents’ lack of interest in their children’s education, which complicates efforts to address the problem.