RismadarVoice Reporters
November 3, 2026
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id-Ahmad, has urged state and local governments to increase funding for nomadic and alternative education to improve learning opportunities for underserved communities across Nigeria.
The minister appealed on Tuesday during the International Conference on Nomadic and Alternative Education Approaches in Africa, held at Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria (MAAUN), Kano.
Represented by the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Education, Zaria, Professor Yahaya Bunkure, she stressed the importance of sustainable funding, effective policies and institutional cooperation.
Sa’id-Ahmad said governments must recognise the educational challenges facing nomadic pastoralists, migrant families, fishing communities and children living in remote areas.
She explained that conventional schooling arrangements often fail to accommodate the mobility, geographical isolation and socioeconomic circumstances of such communities.
According to the minister, expanding access to education requires flexible learning models supported by qualified teachers, instructional materials, supervision and adequate infrastructure.
She cautioned that establishing learning centres without providing the resources necessary for their continued operation would not guarantee meaningful educational outcomes.
The minister also encouraged African universities to undertake research into affordable and effective methods of delivering education to marginalised populations.
She called for stronger partnerships among governments, universities, development organisations and local communities to promote inclusive educational opportunities.
Sa’id-Ahmad maintained that nomadic and alternative education should be treated as an essential component of national education planning rather than a marginal programme.
The conference, organised by MAAUN in partnership with the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Capital University of Somalia and the University of Namibia, brought together education stakeholders from several African countries.
Its discussions focused on strengthening inclusive and flexible learning opportunities for pastoralists and other marginalised learners.
Speaking at the event, MAAUN President, Professor Mohammad Israr, described education as a fundamental human right and an important instrument for social and economic development.
He said universities should contribute to solving educational challenges through research, innovation, academic partnerships and practical policy recommendations.
Israr expressed hope that the conference would encourage collaborative research, academic exchanges, joint publications and sustainable institutional partnerships.
The university’s founder, Professor Adamu Abubakar Gwarzo, was also acknowledged for his support for international academic collaboration.
Participants were encouraged to develop practical recommendations capable of improving educational access and learning outcomes for underserved communities across Africa.
