20,000 ‘Almajiris’ renounce streets begging in Katsina – Official

    
No fewer than 20,000 pupils of Quranic schools popularly known as ‘Almajirai’ in Katsina State have renounced street begging following the introduction of free school feeding and vocational programme by the state government.

The Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Ibrahim Shema on Almajirai affairs, Malam Lawal Mani Gambarawa, disclosed this on Wednesday in Katsina when he led members of the feeding committee on a courtesy visit to the Governor.

Gambarawa told the governor that they were in his office to inform him on the success recorded by the scheme in the past seven months.

According to him, the 20,000 pupils are from the 100 Quranic schools selected for the pilot scheme across the 34 local government areas of the state.

Gambarawa explained that 38 schools were selected from Katsina Senatorial Zone, while Funtua and Daura senatorial zones had 30 and 33 schools respectively.

He said that the programme was aimed at improving the living condition of the pupils, curtail street begging, and train the affected youths on vocational skills to make them self-reliant.

Gambarawa urged the government to expand the number of benefiting schools to 130 to enable other schools enjoy the gesture.

Responding, Shema said that the state government was spending N32 million on feeding the pupils every month.

He said that government had introduced mobile ambulance service to carter for the health care needs of the ‘Almajiris’ in schools across the state.

Shema urged public spirited individuals to assist the ‘Almajiris’ to improve their living condition.