Jonathan: Ex-President says he built 165 Almajiri schools because he valued education

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has said he built 165 Almajiri schools in the North to give equal opportunities because he values education.

Jonathan reportedly made the disclosure while addressing an audience at the Peace Summit at the Junior Chamber International, JCI, in Malaysia.

The ex-president noted that when he became Nigeria's president, at least 10.5 million children across the country were out of school despite being of school age.

He further said it was sad to find out that 80% of that population are from the Northern region of Nigeria.

His words: "In Nigeria, there were 10.5 million (about 15% of the population) out of school children who were of school age, going by UNICEF figures, as at the time I became president.

“Over 80% of these children for which majority are known as Almajiri came from the northern part of Nigeria, where I recorded the least votes in the elections I contested.

“Knowing the value of education, I could see that the ugly situation was limiting the opportunities of these children and negatively affecting the development of my country.

“That was why my administration decided to build 165 Almajiri Integrated Model Schools which combined both western and Islamic education in its curricula,” he said.

Northern Nigeria is the most backward - Ribadu

With very little acceptance of family planning methods resulting in an increase in birth rate and an Almajiri system of education, the northern region of Nigeria has been considered the “most backward in the world.”

Nuhu Ribadu, the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stated this at a book launch in Abuja on Wednesday, August 15, 2018.

Ribadu expressed displeasure over the acceptance of the Almajiri system of education in most parts of the north.

The former EFCC czar described the system as the worst form of human rights abuse.