Governor lbrahim Shehu Shema of Katsina state yesterday flag-offed? the state’s Allo Model school, an intervention scheme where government step-in to provide clothes and feeding for the almajirai from some selected Allo schools.
The pilot scheme of the project which is to take-off in seventy almajirai schools across the state would also ensure the provision of skill training for the almajiarai as part of measures to make them self-reliant and discourage begging.
Speaking at the flag-off of the project, Governor Shema appealed to all well meaning citizens to support the almajirai and ensure an end to street begging by the pupils. He said two Allo schools have been selected from thirty three local government areas in the state, while four schools had been selected in Katsina municipal.
He disclosed that government was intervening by providing monthly allowances of ten thousand naira each to the Arabic teachers in the selected schools, provide three square meals for the pupils “as well as provide skill acquisition training for the pupils.”
Shema who said the pilot scheme would be ran for six months, said the sum of seventy six thousand naira (N76,000) would be spent monthly for the feeding of the almajirai and payment of allowance to Arabic teachers in each of the selected Allo school.
In a speech at the occasion, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Shema on almajirai affairs, MallamLawal Mani Gambarawa disclosed that the state recently conducted a census of almajirai where it was discovered that over 460,000 almajiri children exists in different parts of the state.
While urging for support to the almajirai, Gambarawa insisted that unless government at all levels and well to do individuals intervened by assisting the children, begging will not be eliminated “because these almajirai beg as a result of poverty.”