Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has approved the commencement of a six-month comprehensive skills acquisition programme for 200 Almajiri graduates, aimed at promoting self-reliance and reducing poverty among youths.
The programme, implemented through the Arabic and Islamic Education Board (AISEB), is designed to equip participants with practical and marketable skills to enhance their economic independence.
The Executive Secretary of AISEB, Sheikh Umar Abubakar, disclosed that the 2026 Almajiri/Tsangaya Graduate Training Programme covers several vocational disciplines, including ICT and computer skills, carpentry and woodwork, catering and hospitality, electrical and solar installation, tailoring and fashion design, welding and fabrication, plumbing and pipe fitting, as well as agriculture and agro-processing.
Abubakar said the initiative reflected the governor’s policy direction to empower youths with relevant skills, curb poverty, and strengthen social stability across the state.
“This initiative underscores His Excellency’s unwavering commitment to building a productive and self-reliant youth population capable of contributing meaningfully to the state’s economy,” he said.
He commended Buni’s leadership in advancing reforms in Arabic and Islamic education, noting that the administration had recorded several achievements in the sector.
According to him, 35 Tsangaya/Qur’anic graduates have received foreign scholarships to study at Al-Azhar University in Egypt, while an Al-Azhar-affiliated primary and junior secondary school has been established in Damaturu with support from six Egyptian teachers.
Abubakar also disclosed that about 2,500 Tsangaya/Almajiri graduates had been enrolled into the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency to improve their access to healthcare services.
He added that the state government had constructed 20 new sanitation facilities and renovated 30 others across Tsangaya schools in the 17 local government areas, while more than 800 graduates received clothing support and about 30,000 mats, bedsheets and writing slates were distributed.
The executive secretary explained that participants in the new programme would benefit from full accommodation, feeding, medical care and close supervision throughout the training period.
He further noted that trainees would receive lessons in both Arabic and English languages to improve communication and employability skills, while a monitoring committee had been constituted to ensure quality implementation.
In his remarks, the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Damaturu, Dr. Ibrahim Bello Bashir, said Yobe ranked among states with a high number of Qur’an memorizers, challenging the perception that Tsangaya students were out-of-school.
“Skills are the global currency of today, and equipping young people with practical abilities is key to their future,” Bashir said.
He added that the training would cover between eight and 15 trades aligned with National Occupational Standards Levels 1 to 5, with plans to engage a certification body to formally assess and certify participants upon completion.
The programme forms part of the state government’s broader strategy to integrate traditional Qur’anic education with modern vocational skills to enhance productivity and livelihood opportunities among youths.
