Qatar Foundation Partners with Nigeria to Tackle Almajiri, Out-of-School Children Crisis
By Erewunmi Peace
The Federal Government of Nigeria has secured the support of the Qatar Foundation to address the long-standing Almajiri and out-of-school children crisis across the country.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, recently met with Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned, Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation, in Doha, Qatar, where both parties discussed collaborative efforts to reform the Almajiri education system and reintegrate millions of out-of-school children into the classroom.
Speaking after the meeting, Senator Tinubu emphasized the government’s commitment to transforming the Almajiri Education Schools System to combine Islamic and formal education. She noted that the initiative would provide a balanced learning environment that equips children with both religious and modern knowledge.
“This partnership aims to remodel the Almajiri schools, making them centres for academic and moral excellence. We want to ensure every Nigerian child, regardless of background, has access to quality education,” Tinubu said.
The Qatar Foundation, through Sheikha Moza, pledged technical and educational support for the project, focusing on teacher and caregiver training, curriculum development, and infrastructure improvement.
The Foundation also expressed interest in working with Nigeria’s Ministry of Education and related agencies to develop safe learning spaces that include boarding facilities, mosques for worship, and residences for teachers and caregivers.
According to UNICEF, Nigeria currently has over 15 million children out of school — the highest in the world. The new collaboration seeks to reduce that number significantly through improved access to education, skills training, and social support for vulnerable children.
While the details of the funding and implementation timeline are yet to be finalized, the agreement marks a major step toward solving Nigeria’s decades-long challenge of integrating Almajiri pupils and other out-of-school children into the national education framework.
