Minister Tasks Committee On
Strategies On Qur'anic Education
The Ministerial Committee on Madrasah Education for the Almajiri, has been advised to design strategies and action plans for the integration of qur'anic education in the country's education system.
The Minister of State for Education, Hajia Aishatu Dukku, gave the advice recently in Abuja while inaugurating the committee.
“This is another unique opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to the education of all school-age children, especially the almajirai and other disadvantaged groups.
“At the national level, the recognition of basic education as the bedrock for national development as well as the foundation upon which other levels of education are built has fuelled government's drive for the attainment of Education for All (EFA) by 2015," she said.
The minister said that the Federal Government had given added impetus to previous efforts toward eradicating illiteracy and enabling the realisation of the full potential of every citizen of the country.
Dukku said the government had designed programmes to provide direction to all aspects of basic education as well as to target special classes of people.
“This is in a bid to ensure that no classes of people are left behind in the race for the acquisition of functional literacy.
“Part of the measures taken in this regard is the integration of qur'anic school into the UBE programme and the current effort toward providing a platform for the enhancement of girl-child education and that of other disadvantaged groups,'' she added.
The minister said the government had empowered and challenged relevant agencies to work hard at proffering solutions to the challenges of realising the potential of the almajirai.
According to her, concerted efforts had been made, especially building on the successes recorded in imparting knowledge and discipline in school-age children.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Prof. Dipo Afolabi, said that the essence of Madrasah Education was to help eradicate amajiris from the streets.
Afolabi urged members of the committee to be committed to the cause of providing effective basic education for the children.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Shehu Galadanchi, promised that the committee would "do everything in its capacity to live up to the task" entrusted to it.
“I assure you that we will come up with an action plan that will help the government in tackling the problem of almajirai," he said.
Man Arraigned
For Stealing In Church
A middle-aged man, Mumuni Akintimehin, was recently arraigned before an Apapa Senior Magistrate, Mrs Ariyike Ipaye-Nwachukwu, for stealing in a Church.
The Prosecutor, Sgt. Joseph Kalu, told the court that Akintimehin broke into the building of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), at No. 1, Isikalu Lane, Olodi Apapa, Lagos on Jan. 18.
He said the accused, who was facing a two-count charge, entered the building at around 12 noon and stole about N170,000 belonging to Evangelist Oloko Awoye.
The Prosecutor said that the accused committed an offence punishable under the Criminal Code Laws of Lagos State.
Newsday, reports that the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In her ruling, Ipaye-Nwachukwu granted him bail for N50,000 with one surety who must show evidence of tax payment.
She also ordered that the residential address of the accused should be verified by the Prosecutor and adjourned further hearing till April 4.
In the same court, two tenants, Miss Ndidi Ezemaba, (19), and Frank Ezemaba (24), were arraigned on a one-count charge of assaulting their Landlady, Mrs Oluwatoyin Otimi.
The Prosecutor told the court that the two accused beat their landlady at No. 5, Evie Street, Ajegunle Apapa Lagos, on Feb. 14 and caused her bodily harm.
The accused pleaded not guilty as charged.
Mr Aniero Obi, Counsel to the accused, asked the court to grant his clients bail.
Magistrate Ipaye-Nwachukwu granted the request in the sum of N20,000 each, with one surety in like sum and evidence of tax payment.
She adjourned the case till April 2, for further hearing.
