MAAUN Partners Three African Universities on Nomadic, Alternative Education

Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN) in collaboration with three other African universities, has organised a three-day International Conference on Nomadic and Alternative Education as part of effort to address the multifaceted challenges bedeviling nomadic education in Africa.

The Conference which was organized with the support of Plan International Nigeria, was held physically and virtually across four locations: Kano, Nigeria; Mogadishu, Somalia; Nairobi, Kenya; and Windhoek, Namibia.

Other participating institutions are Capital University of Somalia, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Kenya, and the University of Namibia.

The conference themed “Strengthening Inclusive and Flexible Education Pathways for Nomadic Pastoralists and Marginalized Learners in Africa”, brought together researchers, educators, policymakers, government agencies, development partners, civil society organisations and representatives of nomadic and marginalised communities.

The conference was designed to examine barriers to education and explore practical approaches to inclusive learning.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the President of MAAUN, Prof. (Dr.) Mohammad Israr, appreciated the three universities for their commitment to work together to address common educational and developmental challenges.

He said the conference provided an important platform to exchange knowledge, share experiences, discuss practical solutions, and develop strategies for improving educational access among underserved communities.

In her keynote address, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, called on African universities to conduct research into the factors affecting access, participation, retention and learning among nomadic and underserved children.

The Minister represented by the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Education, Zaria, Kaduna State, Prof. Yahaya Bunkure, said the research should examine the effectiveness of different delivery models, the implications of mobility, gender-related barriers, language and cultural considerations, teacher deployment, digital inclusion and the cost-effectiveness of interventions.

The Minister said the challenges of nomadic and alternative education require evidence from education, sociology, economics, public policy, technology, linguistics and other relevant fields, noting that universities are well positioned to generate this evidence and translate it into practical solutions.

She commended MAAUN for convening the conference and other stakeholders, hoping that the participants would generate practical ideas, stronger partnerships and renewed determination to make inclusive education a reality across Nigeria and Africa.

In his remarks, the Founder of MAAUN, Prof. Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo called on the participants to find out the root cause of banditry and other social vices associated with Fulanis to address the security challenges facing the northern part of the country.

In their separate remarks, the Vice Chancellors of the three universities, called for concerted effort by the respective institutions to address the various challenges that contribute to irregular school attendance, low enrolment and retention, disrupted learning and limited opportunities for further education and skills development.

The three-day conference is expected to focus on strengthening policy dialogue, sharing research and practical experiences, and identifying sustainable ways to integrate flexible education models into national education systems.

The conference is also expected to produce a communiqué or proceedings and contribute to the proposed establishment of a continental network for research and practice on nomadic and alternative education.

Among the expected outcomes are policy recommendations on improving access to quality education for nomadic and other marginalised populations, as well as identifying financing options and strategies for expanding effective alternative education models.