A non government organisation known as Madako Foundation is partnering with the Niger State Government in North-Central Nigeria to promote and revive abandoned nomadic schools across the state.
This part of efforts to return out-of-school children to the classroom.
This was highlighted during the commissioning of four nomadic schools built by the foundation in partnership with the Niger State Ministry of Education.
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Speaking at the event, Abubakar Boro of the National Commission for Nomadic Education said the initiative was key to reducing the high number of out-of-school children, especially among nomadic communities.
He noted that despite progress, challenges such as poor funding, lack of classrooms, shortage of trained teachers, and inadequate learning materials are still affecting nomadic education.
Mr Boro also stressed the need for continuous teacher training and the inclusion of skills acquisition to better prepare pupils for the future.
However, the Madako Foundation has stepped in to bridge many of these gaps. The foundation is not only building and renovating schools but also providing pupils with books, school bags, and other learning materials to support their education.
The foundation also rewards volunteer teachers who support learning in remote communities, helping to motivate them and improve teaching quality in nomadic schools.
Chairman of the foundation, Hauwa Madako, said the project was driven by the need to tackle low school enrolment among Fulani children.
She explained that many of the schools had collapsed over the years, forcing children to learn under trees. To solve this, the foundation worked with local communities to rebuild classrooms using affordable, locally sourced materials that can be easily maintained.
According to her, the effort is already yielding results, with enrolment increasing significantly in several schools.
Establish Schools
added that the foundation has so far established four schools and returned over 700 out-of-school children to learning across the state.
Beyond the new schools, the foundation is also working to revamp other nomadic schools in different parts of Niger State, bringing life back to neglected learning centres.
Partnership
Niger State Government has also strengthened its partnership with the foundation to expand access to education.
The Director-General of Education and School Reform, Maimuna Mohammed, said the government was committed to supporting initiatives that bring education closer to nomadic communities.
She explained that the state was adopting flexible learning systems that allow children to attend school for a few hours daily while continuing with their traditional lifestyle.
According to her, the government is providing learning materials and working with organisations like the Madako Foundation to create more community-based learning centres and bring more out-of-school children, especially nomadic children, back to school.
The collaboration between the state government and the foundation is seen as a major step towards improving access to education and ensuring that nomadic children are not left behind.
Madako Foundation is a Nigerian non-governmental organisation focused on championing social change, peacebuilding, and community development.
The foundation focuses on empowering vulnerable individuals, particularly in Northern Nigeria.