Over 3,000 Almajiri children being educated through radio in Katsina

Ibrahim kallah

More than 3,000 out-of-school children who are mostly Almajiris, are currently receiving Western education through radio school programme broadcast in Katsina State.

The programme, which is also being replicated in other states in the Northwest region, is being implemented by the State Agency for Mass Education (SAME), and the Community Aid Connect (CAC).

Speaking during a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on Wednesday, CAC Regional Coordinator, Digital Literacy Programme, Mr Bolarinwa Akinloluwa said the school programme is broadcast every Thursdays and Fridays in selected radio stations.

Akinloluwa said the radio school programme became necessary in view of the fact that most of the Almajiris and out-of-school children would not be able to attend conventional schools.

He explained that the CAC provids the learning materials, radio sets, and sponsoring broadcast of the programme, while SAME provides facilitators for the project.

He dismissed recent complaints by some facilitators who alleged that they were being shortchanged in monthly allowances being paid them, in addition to alleged distribution of motorcycles to each of them to carry out their duties.

According to him, the complaints arose due to a communication gap between the facilitators and the organisers of the programme, adding that the issue had been addressed during the one-day stakeholders’ meeting.

Collaborating, Mentor of the programme, Maryam Abdulrahman said some of the facilitators had alleged that they were supposed to be paid the sum of N30,000 monthly, and given a motorcycle each to facilitate their movement.

Abdulrahman, however, said only the sum of N5,000 was agreed to be paid to each facilitator, adding that an information gap had led the facilitators to assume they were to be paid higher amounts.

She assured that the programme would continue to reach more out-of-school children across the state, and is expected to last for three years.