We need school uniform, shelter; classrooms to replace learning under the tree – Pupils
By Adamu Muhammad Dodo
It was fascinating, with the arrival of the visitors led by the FUDECO Adamawa state coordinator, Jamila Hassan, the pupils of Ardo Kaku Nomadic School stood up respectfully for greetings, they were taught in English.
One would hardly believe that the children of the herdsmen who were persuaded to go to school barely a month would be able to speak in English, the language of instruction and the school’s administration, to do the usual students-teacher greeting in chorus, within short period of time.
They did not only greet, they also welcomed Hassan and other visitors to their open-space-tree-shade class.
Amazingly, the pupils are taught to list the names of Nigerian states and their capitals. It’s fascinating, they are getting it right and so fast.
“The speed with which the pupils are learning is indeed fascinating. It shows that before the term could get to be through, they would not only learn how to write their names, they would also be able to join words to make meaningful sentence,” a facilitator observed.
When asked about their needs, to be able to encourage them more, the bashful pupils interviewed, volunteered a response that they would want to be fully kitted in school uniform and shelter from rain and wind.
“We need classrooms to replace learning under the treeshed, now that our population is growing by the day,” the pupils would say.
Building classrooms in the school can only be possible with the permission of HRH the Lamido Adamawa, Dr Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa who owns the land allocated to the displaced herdsmen to resettle.
“The land located at Mayo-Ine village, Fufore local government area, Adamawa Central Senatorial District, northeast Nigeria was allocated to Ardo Kaku Galadima and other herdsmen displaced in Numan to relocate.
“Ardo Kaku lost his entire family to what was considered as an attempt at ethnic cleansing, said to be orchestrated by seeming sadist-ego-ethnic-militia-mania,” an elder revealed to the Periscope.
Fulbe Development and Cultural Organisation, FUDECO, that played significant role in the relocation, conceived that the children of the herdsmen would need education to be able to be selves-salvaged from the shackles of stereotyping, alienation, extortion, exploitation, oppression, subjugation, bamboozle, servitude and savagery, hence floated the nomadic school named after the community head, Ardo Kaku Galadima and was funded by the International Indigenous Women Forum, FIMI- AYNI.
The school established on September 13, 2021, has so far enrolled 184 pupils: 29 males, 155 females.
To be able to have a formal backing in tune with the standards of the Universal Basic Education and the National Commission for Nomadic Education, Ardo Kaku will need to have even a single block of classrooms.
Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board, ADSUBEB, the Periscope could gather, has accorded Ardo Kaku nomadic school the warmest blessing, support and cooperation.
Having been impressed with the development, the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Nomadic Education, Prof Bashir Haruna Usman, in an interview with the Periscope said the Commission was considering the possibility of befitting stages of intervention she would deploy to develop the school.
“Your news report on Ardo Kaku nomadic school in a Fulani settlement at a village in Fufore local government area of Adamawa state, established by an NGO called FUDECO, will be given desired attention. The Commission is currently working out the possibilities for intervention,” the Executive Secretary assured.
Jamila Hassan, the Adamawa state coordinator, FUDECO has solicited for support, cooperation and philanthropic contributions with a view to giving life to the school, and meaningful future to the nomads against banditry, taken as the new herdsmen abnormal.
For further enquiries, the state coordinator can be reached at the FUDECO Yola office located at Konngol SilverTongue, Media and Language Training Institute, Hurum Bilkisu Fortress, Lamido Zubairu Road, Yola Town Byepass, Yola South, Adamawa state, Nigeria:
GSM Number: +2348032879849