Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to advancing Arabic, traditional school system (Sangaya) and Islamic education in the state, pledging continued support for institutions, teachers and students dedicated to Islamic scholarship.
Governor Zulum made the pledge while receiving a delegation from the Borno State Arabic and Sangaya Education Board at the Government House in Maiduguri.
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The delegation was led by the Chairman of the Board, Sheikh Khalifa Ali Abdul-Fatai, alongside the Executive Secretary of the Board, Abdulkadir Abdulkarim, members of the Board and the Executive Secretary of the Borno State Education Trust Fund.
The delegation presented 12 students of Mustafa Omar El-Kanemi Al-Azhar Institute, Maiduguri, who have been awarded scholarships to pursue their senior secondary education at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt.
Speaking during the visit, Sheikh Khalifa Ali Abdul-Fatai described the scholarship award as a historic milestone in the advancement of Islamic education in Borno State.
He said the beneficiaries earned the opportunity through academic excellence and would serve as ambassadors of the state at one of the world’s oldest and most respected centres of Islamic learning.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Egypt, Al-Azhar University and the Egyptian Embassy in Nigeria for extending the scholarship to the students and commended Governor Zulum for creating an enabling environment that has strengthened Arabic and Islamic education in the state.
Responding, Governor Zulum congratulated the 12 scholarship beneficiaries and assured them of the state’s support throughout their academic journey.
He disclosed that the Borno State Government would work with relevant agencies to provide additional assistance to the students and their parents where necessary.
The Governor also announced that his administration would complete the ongoing renovation and rehabilitation of the Al-Azhar Institute and provide additional accommodation for its teachers.
He further pledged to engage more teachers in collaboration with the institute to enhance learning and strengthen Islamic education in the state.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum received winners of the National Quranic Recitation Competition and the panel of judges who officiated the competition.
The Governor commended the organisers for successfully hosting what was described as one of the best editions of the competition in the state’s history, attributing the achievement to the dedication and commitment of members of the organising committee.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting Quranic education and promised sustained government intervention to promote excellence in Quranic recitation and memorisation across Borno State.
Governor Zulum noted that Borno remains a historic centre of Arabic and Islamic scholarship, recalling that the state’s forefathers communicated and documented official correspondence in Arabic. He said preserving that rich heritage remains a priority of his administration.
The Governor thanked the teachers of the Al-Azhar Institute and the Egyptian Government for their contributions to the development of Islamic education in Borno State and pledged continued collaboration to strengthen the sector for future generations.
