The Katsina State House of Assembly, says it has begun the process of converting all Television viewing centres across the 34 Local Government Areas of the state, into Islamic Schools.
The assembly commenced the process on Tuesday, following a joint motion, presented by a member representing the Jibya constituency, Mustapha Yusuf.
The conversion is also part of efforts to bring about lasting peace and security, as it was a precondition during the process of dialogue with the bandits, who demanded more schools.
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During the Plenary presided over by the Speaker, Tasi’u Maigari, the lawmaker said that the call became necessary because the schools were more important than the TV viewing centres.
Yusuf explained that Islamic education has suffered serious setbacks in most of the rural areas, hence the need for prompt action, to address the setback.
He added that if his prayer succeeded, the conversion will also assist in reducing the spate of insecurity in the state, citing an instance during a dialogue with some bandits, who complained of the lack of schools for their children, saying that the conversion will allow enrolment.
According to the lawmaker, “If my prayer scales through, it will also help in reducing the number of Almajiri children roaming the streets, in the name of begging.
“Some of the viewing centres were abandoned and had become refuse dumps, criminal hideouts and places where redundant youths hang around, to plan and commit crimes.”
The centres when converted, Yusuf said, will also encourage the government to recruit more teachers, thereby employing the people.
At the end of the deliberations by the lawmakers, the house ordered its Joint Committees On Religious Affairs, and that of Social Development, to study the appropriateness of the conversion.
The house also ordered the committees to assess the number of centres as well as the non-functional Islamic schools across the state, and report back within three months.
Edited by Tunde Orebiyi.
