MINISTRY OF EDUCATION URGED TO INTEGRATE MADRASSA SYSTEM IN LEARNING PROCESS
The government has been requested by the National Council of Nomadic Education of Kenya (NACONOEK) to integrate dugsi and madrassa Islamic schools in the mainstream education system in order to boost enrolment in the North-Eastern region.
They said teachers in the Islam classes be in the government payroll, and the Islamic center’s act as feeder schools in places not accessible to secular schools.
NACONOEK Council Secretary; Harun Yusuf who said this would boost enrolment as the learning programmes target more than two million children in the mapped area.
He said dugsi and madrassa are funded by the community and have high enrolment than public and private schools.He said the learning could be successful in Wajir, Garissa, Mandera, Isiolo, Lamu, Mombasa, and Tana River counties.
“The bottom line is to end the exclusion of some section of education sector where education ministry hasn’t been in charge,” said Yusuf.
Many parents prefer their children to attend private schools offering a curriculum that integrate Islamic studies and formal education.
Garissa Governor Ali Bunow Korane supported the integration proposal saying it would help check violent radicalism amongst the youth. He noted that the youth who join terror groups lack strong Islamic teaching.
“The move will be a positive step aimed towards lifting the long-abandoned and marginalized sector in the remote north-eastern region,” a resident in Garissa said.