In a significant stride towards reforming traditional Islamic education and curbing the alarming rate of out-of-school children in the Northeast, the Federal Government, through the North East Development Commission (NEDC), in collaboration with the Nigeria Arabic Language Village, has launched a comprehensive Train-the-Trainers workshop in Maiduguri.
The two-week capacity-building programme, held at the Nigeria Arabic Language Village, brings together 600 Tsangaya and Islamiyya teachers 100 from each of the six states in the region to undergo intensive training in English language acquisition, numeracy, school management, and contemporary pedagogical techniques.
Representing the Minister of Education, Dr. Yusuf Sununu, at the inauguration ceremony, the Vice-Chancellor of Al-Ansar University, Professor Abubakar Kundiri, lauded the initiative as a visionary and pragmatic response to one of Nigeria’s most persistent educational crises.
“This initiative constitutes a landmark intervention in the national quest to eradicate the scourge of out-of-school children,” Professor Kundiri declared. “The partnership between the NEDC and the Nigeria Arabic Language Village exemplifies the power of institutional synergy driven by a shared vision of human capital development and national progress.”
The Minister emphasized that the workshop is not a fleeting gesture, but rather the foundation of a sustainable model to enhance the quality and scope of Islamic education. According to him, by enriching educators’ proficiency in both Arabic grammar and phonology, the programme seeks to avert doctrinal inaccuracies and reinforce pedagogical soundness in faith-based schools.
“This workshop aspires to deepen linguistic precision among instructors, thereby curbing the misapplication and misinterpretation of religious texts a root cause of ideological distortions in some circles,” Dr. Sununu noted.
He also reaffirmed the unwavering commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to overhauling the education sector in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda, underscoring inclusivity, accessibility, and excellence as the hallmarks of his administration’s educational vision.
The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur, extolled the initiative as a transformative milestone in rebuilding the region’s educational framework.
“This gathering at the Babagana Umara Zulum Hall is a testament to our collective resilience and the visionary leadership required to confront our region’s complex educational challenges,” Kadafur remarked.
He further stated, “The emphasis on training the trainers is both strategic and far-reaching. By empowering those who educate others, we are fostering an enduring ripple effect ensuring that knowledge is not only transmitted, but multiplied across generations.”
Governor Zulum praised the Nigeria Arabic Language Village for its distinguished legacy of excellence in specialized language education and commended the NEDC for its consistent dedication to advancing educational infrastructure and development in the Northeast.
He urged participants to immerse themselves fully in the training sessions, stressing that their role as educators is pivotal to sowing the seeds of peace, progress, and prosperity in their communities.
“As we open this two-week training, let us proceed with renewed purpose and unity of intent. May this initiative herald a new dawn where education becomes the bedrock of sustainable development in the Northeast,” the Governor declared.
The Train-the-Trainer programme is expected to culminate in a robust framework for replicable teacher development, bolstering Islamic education while contributing significantly to the national goal of universal basic education.
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