Tag: Katsina

The Katsina State government has taken steps towards transforming the state’s Qur’anic education with a view to ending the Almajiri phenomenon.

One of the steps it has taken is to improve the scheme by introducing vocational training (skills acquisition) among Almajiri so that they would be better citizens. Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema disclosed this during the flag-off of the distribution of food items and clothing materials to pupils of Qur’anic schools in Daura.

Experts in Qur’anic education have alleged that the current methodology employed in imparting Qur’anic knowledge to pupils by learned Islamic clerics in some parts of the northern region is somewhat wrong. They maintain that it has posed some moral challenges.

The multiple effects of this Almajiri phenomenon, a name that has become synonymous with street begging among youths has recently attracted the attention of policy makers who seek solution to this social problem.

The Federal Government had launched an Almajiri Integrated Boarding School

Programme at Sokoto. The programme is designed to integrate western education into Qur’anic education, even as it has directed that the programme be replicated in all northern states.

Governor Shema, in his educational policy in the state in the last five years and in line with Federal Government initiative, has taken the bull by the horns in finding a lasting solution to the menace through the introduction of vocational training and skill acquisition, free feeding and clothing of pupils of the Qur’anic school education in the state.

The modified vocational and feed Qur’anic education, the first of its kind in the country, has been introduced in Katsina State as a pilot programme in a carefully selected 70 local Qur’anic schools.

The pilot programme is, however, not infused with western education. The success of the scheme may determine the introduction of western education in school curriculum in the state.

Governor Shema, while flagging off the pragramme at Alarama

Mallam Bello Qur’anic School, in Daura said: “The scheme has been on government’s education drawing board since the inception of this administration in 2007. It has successfully gone through various assessment tests before taking off.”

He further explained that “it would take time before government could effectively execute a programme of this nature. It has to draw out its programme, assess its workability and sustainability by taking into account the financial implications that will effectively assist the Almajiri, the teachers and also meet the basic requirements of the schools.

“The sum of N36m will be required for the programme monthly during the first phase that would last for six months. The programme will then be assessed for possible expansion to other schools in the state,” he added.

Continuing, Shema said: “Realising the holiness of the month of Ramadan, we have decided to choose today being the first day of Ramadan and also a holy Friday to launch an important programme like Almajiri education that is intended to change things and make life meaningful for our children.

“Our intention is that we should be able to promote effective teaching and practice of Islamic knowledge among the youth to inculcate the fear of God in the children.

“You are aware that this administration prioritises education and acquisition of

knowledge. That is why we will never stop propagating western education and Islamic education as both can always go together.

“Government has selected 70 Qur’anic schools as pilot programme which we will carry out in the next six months to see how we can include more of similar schools in the state.

“We will carry out the programme which will involve feeding and clothing the pupils, paying allowances to teachers (clerics), paying allowances to recruited trainers that will train the pupils in various skills. As part of the programme, we will provide ambulances to attend to emergences, to convey the children to hospitals as they will always access free medical treatment.”

“I also want to state that parents, teachers, pupil (Almajiri), the local government authorities, wealthy individuals and Islamic organisations have some roles to plat in ensuring that the programme succeeds.”

Governor Shema therefore urged Muslim Ummah to support Almajiri schools for the programme to record appreciable success.

Clears eight months salary arrears

Katsina State government has kept its promise and lifted the spirits of workers. Governor Ibrahim Shema had promised to pay the N18,000 minimum wage approved for civil servants since 2011, but which generated much heat across the country, as state governments pussyfooted on the matter, citing various reasons. For eight months, Katsina workers waited for the improved pay, approved since January in the state. Now they have it, thanks to the Shema administration’s determination to keep its word and prevent undue tension. Addressing reporters, the state Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Development, Alhaji Mohammed Lawal Jari said government was determined to motivate workers towards increased productivity. While virtually every state in the country continued to endure workers’ agitation or strikes for non-implementation of the minimum wage, Katsina has taken steps to avoid such unsavoury situations by approving its implementation. The payment of the eight months salary arrears, some said, is proof that the government prioritises the people’s welfare. It was also said to indicate the government’s pragmatism, moving quickly to workers’ strike in the bud. The administration, however, set up an audit committee to ascertain the state’s workforce as a prerequisite for the payment of the minimum wage. The outcome of the staff audit conducted in February, revealed a total of 20,725 staff with a wage bill of N1,500,552,241. Also approved was a continuous validation exercise for members of staff on annual leave, study leave and those on redeployment to other parastatals that could not be covered. According to the Special Adviser to Governor Shema on Societal and Diplomatic Relations, Salisu Sada Ruma, the staff and audit committees covered all members of staff from the age of 50 years to contract staff. All incompetent staff and those who have health challenges are to be medically certified for appropriate consideration. Also approved was the retaining of the existing salary structure of members of staff of tertiary institutions while those on paramilitary training are to remain on their allowances pending enlistments by their respective establishments. However, other categories of workers including casual, visiting health workers and the 1,087 ghost workers were deleted from government’s pay roll. The successful conduct and approval of the staff audit report by the government has facilitated the timely implementation of the new minimum wage in the state, making Katsina one of the few states to effect the implementation of the new minimum wages. However, some hitches were noticed while the verifications were going on. These manifested in the form of omission of names of some members of staff, underpayments, and double entries of employees’ names that occasioned overpayments. This oversight was promptly rectified by the committee comprising government and labour representatives. According to Ruma, the initial problems were triggered by the manual payment of salaries usually cherished by the lower cadre of employees and those in the rural areas. The cash payments, besides its susceptibility to under- or overpayments, became prone to fraudulent practices among some members of staff in the salary and wages department. “Government’s preference for payments direct into employees’ bank account also witnessed initial hiccup, especially by Central Bank of Nigeria monetary policy directive leading to a change in bank account’s digits form 13 to 10 in 2011,” Ruma said. The temporary challenges, he said, were resolved through a more transparent system involving directives to employees for a total compliance to banking policies on maintenance of salary account. To further ensure a hitch-free of minimum wages and arrears to workers, the government directed the employees with salary accounts domicile in Micro- Finance Banks to open an online salary account with a commercial bank of their choice. This hitherto facilitated smooth payment of salaries to workers. The government therefore commended the patience of the workers, especially the staffs of the States Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) for their resilience while the staff verification and validation lasted. During the post-negotiation joint press conference by government and labour at the Labour House in Katsina in February 2011, the chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Aliyu Matazu appealed to the workers for continued support and co-operation while commending Governor Shema’s commitment to the implementation of the new national minimum wage for workers. Matazu said: “The appearance of the government representatives led by Special Adviser to the Governor on Societal and Diplomatic Relations, Hon. Salisu Sada Ruma in our office is a clear demonstration that government is committed to the implementation of the new minimum wage in the state. “After some discussions and subsequent agreements reached between the government and labour during the strike, we can now say a light has been seen marking the end of the agitation for minimum wage in Katsina State. “The implementation of minimum wage will definitely encounter some hitches at commencement due to non-compliance among some members of staff to change of account digits from 13 to 10. So, the mistake of under or overpayment could not have been deliberate which is being rectified by the joint committee of government and NLC. “What remained for those clearly verified is validation where names of the beneficiaries will be pasted for cross-checking by beneficiaries for correction and confirmation of names and salaries.” Comrade Matazu therefore appealed to workers in the state to exercise patience for necessary rectification on the salaries and to report any incidence of overpayment of salaries. In the last joint press conference of government and labour organised by the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Development, Alhaji Muhammodu Lawal Jari at Government House Katsina, he announced the full and last implementation of new minimum wages and payment of arrears to workers. The commissioner, while addressing journalists in Katsina said: “In view of the colossal amount of N11.03b involved in the arrears on new minimum wages from January to August 2012 and the financial commitments of the state, the joint committee of government and labour representatives has succeeded in re-negotiating down to a realistic level of N2.43b.” Hon. Jari assured that the Shema-led administration has approved the payment of the new minimum wage of N2, 430, 565, 512 .28 as recommended by the committees.