DIVERSION OF ALMAJIRI EDUCATION MONEY

Nigeria's National Commission for Almajiri and out-of-school Children's Education (NCAOOSCE) is facing severe criticism following the diversion of a significant portion of its budget to projects unrelated to its core mission. Out of its total 2026 budget of N22.8 billion, N8.4 billion was earmarked for initiatives such as road construction in Ekiti, Ogun, and Katsina states, as well as the procurement of ambulances and solar streetlights. This revelation has ignited widespread condemnation from individuals and civil society groups.

The diversion is particularly concerning given the agency's mandate to address the world's largest out-of-school children crisis. Critics argue that reallocating funds intended for education to infrastructure projects is unconscionable. The IA-Foundation, a UK-registered educational charity, stated, "Every naira spent on roads, boreholes or ambulances through an education agency’s budget is a naira that does not reach a child who cannot read, write or count."

This issue comes at a critical time for northern Nigeria, where youth populations are seen as a strategic asset but risk becoming a development challenge without adequate investment in education and skills. The Almajiri system, which leaves millions of children without homes or means of survival and exposed to abuse, remains a significant concern. The Almajiri Commission was established in 2023 to move these children from the streets into schools, building on earlier, largely abandoned, efforts by previous administrations.

Despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reconstituting the commission's leadership in 2024 with a mandate to reduce out-of-school children, its impact remains minimal. Meanwhile, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced a partnership with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) to conduct a nationwide survey to establish a more accurate figure for the country's out-of-school children, as current numbers are largely guesswork.

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Whether conceived by the commission or inserted by lawmakers, every naira spent on roads, boreholes or ambulances through an education agency’s budget is a naira that does not reach a child who cannot read, write or count.