The Right to Education and Almajiri Schools in Northwestern Nigeria: A Human Rights Appraisal

This research appraises the right to education of children enrolled in almajiri schools in Northwestern Nigeria, focusing on Sokoto and Zamfara states, where the traditional almajiri system of Quranic education accommodates millions of children in conditions often incompatible with international human rights standards. The almajiri system, while culturally significant, frequently exposes children to economic exploitation, inadequate nutrition, and exclusion from formal education, raising critical questions about Nigeria's compliance with the CRC and the right to free and compulsory primary education under the Universal Basic Education Act. The study employs a qualitative methodology, drawing on interviews with almajiri children, Islamic scholars (Malamai), parents, government education officials, and civil society organizations operating in Sokoto. Secondary data from UNICEF Nigeria's education situational analysis and the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education are reviewed. Findings reveal that while the Federal Government's Integrated Almajiri Education Programme has achieved limited progress in integrating formal education into almajiri schools, implementation remains fragmented and underfunded. The study argues that millions of almajiri children are effectively denied their right to quality education, constituting one of Nigeria's most severe domestic child rights crises. Recommendations include accelerated funding for integrated almajiri schools, community engagement with Islamic scholars, and mandatory registration of almajiri institutions with the state education authority. Keywords: almajiri, right to education, Northwest Nigeria, child rights, Islamic education.