Qatar Foundation Pledges Active Support to Oluremi Tinubu’s Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education Initiative

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has successfully secured a major commitment from the Qatar Foundation (QF) to partner with Nigeria in tackling its alarming crisis of over 15 million out-of-school children—the highest figure worldwide.

The commitment was made by the Founder and Chairperson of the Qatar Foundation, Her Highness Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser Al-Missned, during a high-level meeting with Mrs. Tinubu and her delegation in Doha, Qatar.

The First Lady, who is on a working visit to the country, sought the Foundation’s strategic collaboration to support the Federal Government’s new initiative to reform the Almajiri education system. She outlined a transformative model that seeks to replace the current system with modern Almajiri Education Schools.

“These schools will host and care for the children in a safe learning environment, which will include a mosque for worship, incorporate skills acquisition, and offer boarding facilities for students, as well as residence for Imams and caregivers,” Mrs. Tinubu explained. She stressed that this holistic approach is designed to allow the children to acquire both formal and Islamic education, free from exploitation, while equipping them with life skills to contribute meaningfully to society.

Acknowledging the scale of the challenge, the First Lady appealed to Her Highness Sheikha Moza, stating, “Given the magnitude of this challenge and the competing demands on our national resources, Nigeria cannot achieve this alone. We need strategic partners, and Your Highness represents precisely the kind of visionary partner who can help us make this dream a reality.”

In response, Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser Al-Missned assured the Nigerian delegation of the Qatar Foundation’s active support for the Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education initiative. She pledged that the Foundation would work directly with Nigeria’s Ministry of Education to provide essential technical support, including the training of teachers and school administrators, to ensure the program delivers high-quality educational outcomes.

The Nigerian delegation on the visit included the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmed, and the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, Dr. Muhammad Sani Idris.