The Katsina State Government, in collaboration with UNICEF, is set to introduce Mathematics and English into Almajiri schools to modernize the Tsangaya education system and address the out-of-school children crisis, as announced by Muntaka Mukhtar, a UNICEF education specialist, during a workshop for Tsangaya school proprietors in Katsina on August 14, 2025.
This initiative builds on earlier efforts, with over 53,000 Almajiri pupils already integrated into formal education, according to Katsina’s Commissioner of Education, Prof. Badamasi Lawal, in a 2022 statement. The program aims to provide a comprehensive education, combining Qur’anic studies with core subjects to enhance employability and reduce social vulnerabilities, with plans to enroll an additional 40,000 children.
The state has identified 106,000 Almajiri pupils across 5,558 Islamic schools, supported by a 2021 UNICEF census, and is implementing reforms like the Katsina State Zakat Agency to fund sustainable education models. The initiative, backed by the World Bank and UNDP, also includes teacher training and infrastructure upgrades to ensure safety and quality learning.
