By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) has implored upon its Bauchi chapter to establish higher institutions of learning in the state to promote the growth and development of women and youths’ education.
According to the National Amirah of the association, Rafi’at Idowu Sanni, such institutions should be like University of Medicine, FOMWAN College of Health Technology, as well as Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centres, among.
The National Amirah was delivering a keynote address at a two-day education summit with the theme “Achieving Total Development Through Quality Education In The Midst of Security Challenges” organized by the state chapter of the association held at Central Mosque Conference Hall, Bauchi.
Amirah Rafi’at explained that FOMWAN has five cardinal principles which included Education of the Female, Education of the Gild-child, and Provision of Humanitarian Services, among others.
National Amirah said that the education summit is one of the strategies developed by FOMWAN to sensitize and mobilize the populace, especially stakeholders in the sector, and the Muslim Ummah in general to accord priority to education.
She appreciated the numbers of educational schools the association in Bauchi is operating which comprised nursery, primary and secondary institutions across the state, and emphasized the need for equal opportunity of education to both male and female.
Rafiat noted with delight that gone are the days when the association was looked down with members of low levels of education, expressing confidence that FOMWAN now boosts of members with doctorates and professorial education.
She described FOMWAN as an education focus organization that promote the educational development of women, youths and children through the establishment of formal and non-formal schools including vocational centers all over the federation.
Declaring the summit opened, Bauchi First Lady, Hajiya A’isha Bala Mohammed said that the Kauran Bauchi led administration has since its inception in 2019 attaching great significance to the education of women and youths in the society.
Represented by the commissioner of women affairs and child development, Hon. Hajara Jibrin Gidado, the first lady said the state government has been collaborating with NGOs such as FOMWAN towards the promotion and development of education in the state.
Earlier in a welcome address, Bauchi State Amirah of the association, A’ishatu Ibrahim Kilishi noted that education goes beyond teaching youths reading and writing alone, as it plays significant roles in the maintenance of peace and security.
Hajiya A’ishatu Kilishi while assuring that FOMWAN would continue to impact positively on the educational progress of the Ummah, said the importance of education in the social economic, political, scientific and technological advancement of any society cannot be over emphasized.
Kilishi, while explaining that education remain the tool for poverty eradication and human development, said the association is deeply involved in developing and promoting access to education with the provision of 14 nurseries, primary and secondary schools, over 100 Islamiyya/Qur’anic centers, 15 adult literacy classes and skill acquisition and vocational centers.
Hajiya Kilishi said that FOMWAN is concern about the girl-child education, adding that educating a girl child, the future primary teacher of the child is certainly one of the best investments to overcome poverty, ignorance and disease.
She observed that education in the state is facing some challenges that need to be addressed, saying “We have noticed that inadequate funding, poor implementation of national policies on education, politicization of education, mismanagement, wastages, inadequate data as some of the factors that culminated into poor quality of education in the country”.
Kilishi added, “Education is a tool for improving national security. It plays a significant role in the maintenance of peace and security. The education that enhances security goes beyond teaching youths reading and writing alone it’s must be all embracing”.
