We need to reform Nigeria’s education system to fight unemployment and secure the future of young Nigerians says Abdulyasir Garba
Growing up as a teenager in Kano State, Nigeria, one of my biggest concerns included ensuring a good education for children in my country. Ever since I was a child, I hoped to build a better future and world leaders.
How is the education system failing young Nigerians?
I was born and raised in a local (ghetto) society – a society that doesn’t care about the future and social well-being of their children. In the pre-colonial Hausaland, an Islam-based educational system existed for several centuries and produced leaders, scholars, businessmen, government leaders and a lot more. Sadly, today, poor management and interpretation of the education system has led to its misuse.
Nowadays children as young as 3 years old are brought from far away and instead of learning, they’re made to roam the street looking for food and money to pay tax (Kudin Laraba or Kudin Sati) to the malam (teacher). In some schools children who disobey or didn’t pay the tax are Handcuffed/Legcuffed for months.
My fight to reforming education.
When I was 14, I challenged my family to join my initiative in making Nigerians aware of how individuals can aid in reforming the system. Unfortunately, few people attended. I began reaching out to local teachers to educate them and suggest suitable methods to improve the Nigeria’s education system. Instead of being encouraged, I started receiving insults and negative prayers. Some Islamic scholars even started saying “He is disobedient to religion, the white people have poisoned his mind”. I had to face many more challenges and my parents were forced to vacate their house to move to another region.
I still didn’t give up. I established an organization called “Young Support Foundation” with the aim of protecting Nigerian childrens’ well being, My friend and I began an online public awareness campaign and reached out to several schools.”
Taking charge of change.
In 2018, I realised that I need to build a strategic plan to make my dreams come true. I wrote and created a booklet on how individuals and governments can participate in reforming the education system. In the booklet I wrote about how the Almajiri Children can access free health care, food, social well-being as well as a combination of western education and Islamic Education.
In 2019 I begin to start providing food and clothes to over 3000 Almajiri and homeless children. I started to reform the system myself without waiting for the government to take action.”
From 2019-2021 we implemented different types of projects and programs that have impacted more than 4600 Almajiri Children and Orphans, provided food for 300 Almajiri children and 50 scholarships for orphans in Nigeria.
We can’t wait for the government to build our future, we want to produce world leaders and make Nigeria children’s future bright.
We will never rest until the system is reformed and until these children are off the streets.”
Attending the Nigeria Youth Power Hack.
Restless Development was one of the platforms that helped me get inspired by, meet and connect with so many individuals and participate in many of its activities. I learned how to serve humanity better and I’m glad to have been a part of Nigeria Youth Power Hack 2021.
