Tsangaya Education in Gombe Metropolis: Challenges and Way Forward

Abstract

Tsangaya system is an ancient system of Qur’anic learning been practiced in most countries of West Africa and Nigeria in particular. In Nigeria the system got its origin from Kanem-Borno Empire and later diffused to various States in Hausa land and specifically in Gombe. This system had made reasonable impacts in socio-economic development of Gombe and Nigeria at large whereby its graduates excelled in various facets of life. However, despite the contributions made by this institution of learning, it was later associated with some problems such as street begging, child abuse, lack of proper accommodation for the students. There were many factors that led to the aforementioned problems among which were colonial domination, negligence by the government and the community. This paper attempts to examine the challenges of Tsangaya education in Gombe and to proffer solutions to the problems using the historical methods and sources such as interviews, and other extant literatures.