192 almajiri children test positive for COVID-19 in Kano

The Kano state government says 192 almajiri children have tested positive for the coronavirus.

During the COVID-19 briefing at the government house on Thursday, Muhammad Kiru, the state’s commissioner for education, said part of those who tested positive returned from other states.

While a total of 244 almajiri children were received, Kiru said the state has successfully repatriated 1,183 children to other states.

“Since the beginning of repatriation of almajiri, we have successfully repatriated 1,183 and have received 244. We moved 418 to Katsina, 524 to Jigawa, 155 to Kaduna, 38 to Bauchi, 36 to Gombe and 75 to Zamfara,” he said.

“We fed the almajiri, gave them the required healthcare and got them tested where we discovered 192 to be positive and got them isolated.”

The commissioner added that the government has provided three almajiri boarding schools in Bagwai, Madobi and Bunkure local government areas, in addition to 12 schools.

“The almajiri schools in the state now have the capacity to admit a total of 1,800 students in which there is an integrated curriculum that includes the Qur’anic and modern education,” he said.

“We have also initiated regulatory measures for anyone that intends to establish an almajiri school and anyone that does not meet the rules will not be allowed to operate.

“Meanwhile all almajiri schools in the state have been closed down pending the opening of schools when the integrated system will begin to operate.”