THE ALMAJIRI SCHOOL SYSTEM AND CHILDREN'S FARM LABOUR AVAIIABILITY IN SOKOTO STATE: WHAT ROLF FOR URBAN AGRICULTURE

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study examined the extent of practice of sending children to traditional Qur’anic school (Almajiri schools) by rural and urban households in two local government areas (L.GAs) in Sokoto State, and to see the effect of this practice on farm labour availability and farm output. To achieve the objectives of the study, data were collected from 100 randomly’ sampled household heads each from Isa (representing rural) and Sokoto North (representing urban) LGA.s of Sokoto State. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics in addition to student T test and Z test for differences between proportions. The results show that up to 69% of all respondents engaged in sending children away to traditional Qur’anic schools. However, the proportion (93%) sending children to such schools was significantly higher (P< 0.01) for the rural LGA than the urban LGA (45%) Similarly, the number of children sent per household has significant/)’ higher (P< 0.01) for the rural LGA. Major proportions of the respondents agreed that sending children away affected farm labour availability and output negatively. Furthermore, most of the children who have graduated ham such schools took to professions other than firming. It was therefore, concluded that the Almajirl school system constitutes a drain on farm labour availability. To return some of the labour to agriculture, it urn suggested that the children and their teachers should be mobilised and empowered to participate in urban agriculture.