Almajiri System: End It, Mend It or Re-Invent It? (1)
Journal of Criminology Sociology and Law. Volume 1, Issue 1, 2020.
14 Pages Posted: 12 Jun 2020
Date Written: April 1, 2020
Abstract
This paper introduces the almajiri and the almajiri system from a historical lens, tracing the adoption and evolution of the system in the Bilad as-Sudan until its subsequent disintegration and collapse. We highlight the interplay of factors leading to its transformation from a system churning out leaders in all aspects of the society to a dysfunctional factory for child neglect and abuse, outputting unemployed and unemployable citizens. We also discuss the perception of the system among various actors in the society and the apparent romanticizing of the noble almajiri against the wayward ‘dan boko’. Finally, we try to understand the collapse of the system while raising questions about its future, primarily in Northern Nigeria.
Keywords: Almajiri, Northern Nigeria, Education, Colonialism
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