Bauchi Fulani Community Appeals for Educational Facilities for their Children

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Fulani community in  Sabon Garin Yisin in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State has expressed fear that if the government doesn’t support the community with more classrooms and educational facilities, their children’s quest for education would be jeopardised.

The community leader, Hardo Luje Mohammed, made the appeal during an advocacy visit to the community by a group, Women Development Initiative for Self-sustenance (WODASS), at Garin Yisin Community recently.

He urged the government to come to their aid by complementing their efforts with classrooms and educational facilities for their children’s educational pursuits.

According to him, “About 150 children may abandon their hunger for modern education due to the lack of permanent school buildings.

“One block of classroom built with mud through self-help is grossly inadequate and may not meet the need of a large population of children of the nomads, who nurse the ambition for both modern Islamic and western forms of education.”

The community leader buttressed that the lone building now serves the interest of primary four and five classes while other pupils take lessons in the open, not even under a tree.

Mohammed, who took the visiting team around the school site, complained about the lack of teaching aids, potable water, and desks, as pupils have to sit on bare floors to learn.

He added that the community has to rely on indigenous graduates who now serve as volunteer teachers.

“We, therefore, called on the Nomadic Education Agency to come to our aid by correcting the wrong perception that Fulani people dislike all forms of education,” he said.

He stated that if a permanent structure is built, parents who have withdrawn their children would be encouraged to bring them back.

Another Fulani leader, Hardo Gambo Abdullahi of Rugan Gambo in Bula ward said a two-kilometre distance between his community and Jambil is stressful for children in the area.

He urged Tafawa Balewa LGA and SUBEB to set up a school at Rugan Gambo to enable children of the area to benefit from the dividends of democracy.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr. Magaji Barde said the visit was informed by the need to scale up best hygiene practices in order to check the spread of waterborne diseases.

He implored the Fulanis to extend their passion for education to embrace the best personal and environmental hygiene behaviour that would add value to their social well-being.