Hope starts with these kinda steps.
Nigeria is seeking the support of the Qatar Foundation to help address the alarming number of over 15 million out-of-school children across the country.
First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, disclosed this during a meeting with the Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned, where she appealed for collaboration in transforming Nigeria’s Almajiri education system.
Mrs Tinubu said the Nigerian government, through the Ministry of Education, is implementing a new model of the Almajiri Education School System that will integrate both Islamic and formal education.
“These schools will host and care for the children in a safe learning environment,” she explained. “They will include mosques for worship, incorporate skills acquisition programmes, and offer boarding facilities for students, as well as residences for Imams and caregivers.”
She noted that the initiative aims to ensure that vulnerable children, especially those in northern Nigeria, receive holistic education while also acquiring practical skills that prepare them for self-reliance.
The First Lady commended Sheikha Moza for her humanitarian interventions, particularly in the education sector, through the Qatar Foundation’s establishment of Education City, a vast complex with more than 40 schools, several universities, and the Qatar National Library.
“I am proud to learn of your achievements in surpassing the target of enrolling 10 million marginalised children into school,” Mrs Tinubu said. “Watching you do all these great works has reinforced our conviction that change is possible, and I believe reaching out to your esteemed organisation could provide the support we urgently need.”
Responding, Sheikha Moza expressed her willingness to partner with Nigeria in addressing the out-of-school challenge. She promised that the Qatar Foundation would actively support the proposed Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education initiative.
The partnership, once formalised, is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s efforts toward universal basic education and reduce the number of children without access to schooling — a problem that has persisted for decades, especially in rural communities.
Observers believe the collaboration could mark a significant milestone in Nigeria’s education reform, helping to bridge the gap between traditional Islamic learning and modern education.
By integrating both systems and providing safe, inclusive spaces for learning, the initiative seeks to give millions of Nigerian children a renewed chance at a better future.
