By Prosper Mene
Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has secured a firm commitment from the Qatar Foundation to support efforts aimed at curbing the nation’s alarming out-of-school children crisis.
The pledge, announced during high-level meetings in Doha, targets Nigeria’s estimated 15 million out-of-school children, the largest such figure globally and focuses on reforming the Almajiri education system through integrated Islamic and formal schooling.
The announcement was made at the conclusion of a four-day working visit to Qatar, where Senator Tinubu, leading a Nigerian delegation, engaged with the Qatar Foundation’s leadership, including its Founder, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned. The foundation, renowned for its global education initiatives, has pledged to collaborate with Nigeria’s Ministry of Education on establishing model schools that provide safe, holistic learning environments.”These schools will host and care for the children in a safe learning environment, which will include a mosque for worship, incorporate skills acquisition, and offer boarding facilities for students, as well as residence for Imams and caregivers,”
Senator Tinubu stated during the meeting. “This holistic approach will allow children to acquire both formal and Islamic education free from exploitation while equipping them with life skills that empower them to build their lives and contribute meaningfully to society.”The Qatar Foundation also committed to supporting the training of teachers and handlers to ensure high-quality outcomes in these institutions. Yousif Al Na’am, CEO of the foundation, accompanied Senator Tinubu on a tour of the organization’s headquarters, highlighting ongoing projects like Qatar Education City—home to over 40 schools and universities and the Qatar National Library.Senator Tinubu praised Sheikha Moza’s “global leadership and humanitarian record,” particularly the foundation’s role in advancing education access worldwide.
Her visit to the Qatar National Library earlier in the trip further underscored Nigeria’s ambitions; the First Lady expressed optimism that Nigeria’s own National Library project—recently bolstered by N20 billion in funding, would draw inspiration from its Qatari counterpart to become a “modern, digitized facility equipped to cater to the knowledge-building needs of all Nigerians.”Accompanying Senator Tinubu were key government officials, including Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed; and Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, Dr. Muhammad Sani Idris.
