Child Begging: Poverty and Misgovernance as a Causal Factor in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Child-begging is a phenomenon that sends the school going age children on the street and begs for alms, as they attend a local Islamic (almjirii) school in most part of northern Nigeria. The menace of child-begging in has assumed an alarming rate. The institution of the state does not do much to curtail this menace. This study adopted a thematic approach, and data was collected at secondary sources. The findings of the study reveals that High rate of illiteracy, coupled with low family incomes stemming from unemployment and lack of good governance in Nigeria explains the reasons for this menace. The recently conceived new Model Islamic school system by the state where both Islamic and Western Education is taught and pupils kept in the school hostel is yet to take effect. Could this address the menace in northern Nigeria? This paper examines the two possible causative factors critically and recommends that the government should address the issue of poverty and unemployment while ensuring consistency in implementing the new policy as conceived, planned.

Keywords: Child-Begging, Poverty, Misgovernance, Northern Nigeria, Almajiri. Almajirai.