Exploring Open and Distance Learning in Meeting the Learning Needs of Almajirai of Northern Nigeria

The Almajirai are pupils enrolled in traditional Quranic schools that are prevalent in many parts of northern Nigeria. Although Quranic schools are highly revered religious institutions that have played vital roles in Muslim societies in pre-colonial northern Nigeria, the challenging demands of modernity tend to put the future of these schools at risk. Pupils enrolled are consequently denied effective participation in formal basic education, and are not adequately catered for by either the state or their communities. Concern over the future of millions of children enrolled in Quranic schools has led to the official adoption of integration policy by the Federal Government intended to position them within the framework of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme for the purpose of attaining Education for All (EFA) and Millenium Development Goals (MDGs). This paper contends that although the integration policy is widely accepted by stakeholders of the Quranic schools, there are a number of contentious issues which devolve on the implementation of this policy vis-a-vis the peculiarities of these schools, their pupils, and the socio-economic rhythms of their local communities which have the tendency to exclude rather than integrate them into the regular schools. Consequently, the paper explores Open Distance Learning (ODL) as an alternative platform that has the potentials of delivering the promises and gains of the UBE to the Qur'anic school pupils in ways that are responsive to their peculiarities. The paper recommends, among other things, the adoption of a Dual mode of ODL system in which the traditional classroom method is complemented by radio broadcasts in specially designed packages tailored to the needs of Qur'anic school pupils and their teachers. This the paper believes will provide for flexibility in the organisation of instruction, and respond to the scarcity of personnel and resources in these schools