A sweeping investment in Islamic learning is on the horizon as Jigawa State moves to inject N3.5 billion into Tsangaya and related Qur’anic education programmes in the 2026 fiscal cycle.
According to the government, the allocation is designed to strengthen both infrastructure and curriculum support, deepening the ongoing national transition toward integrating Qur’anic learning into the mainstream basic education framework.
Details of the initiative emerged during deliberations at the Jigawa State House of Assembly, where the Executive Secretary of the Tsangaya Education Board, Abubakar Maje, defended the board’s 2026 budget.
Maje told lawmakers that the allocation covers both recurrent and capital components, including major construction and rehabilitation projects across the state.
He noted that a significant portion of the funding will be used to complete three mega Tsangaya schools sited in Kafin Hausa, Ringim, and Dutse.
According to him, each of the centres will feature skill acquisition hubs, teacher accommodation, mosques, water systems, and electricity to create functional learning environments.
“We intend to build facilities that promote dignity and proper education for every child enrolled in these schools,” he said.
Work will also continue on seven additional Tsangaya schools earlier transferred from the federal government to ensure they meet new operational standards.
Maje added that one of the board’s core priorities is the rollout of new reading sheds and classrooms in 60 Tsangaya schools spread across the state’s 30 constituencies.
“This upgrade phase is vital because many of the children currently study in overcrowded or makeshift structures,” he explained.
He further disclosed the government’s plan to build toilets in all 30 major Tsangaya schools, stressing that poor sanitation had contributed significantly to open defecation in some communities.
“Providing adequate toilets is part of restoring dignity and protecting the health of the over 6,000 children who will benefit directly from these reforms,” he said.
The N3.5 billion package also includes support for the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Education (NBAIS) programme and the federal government’s Accelerated Basic Education Programme (ABEP), which aligns Qur’anic learning with foundational literacy and numeracy.
Additionally, the fund will cover the procurement of instructional materials, beds, mattresses, and other essential items to improve learning conditions statewide.
