Hon. Dr. Kakale: Lead sponsor of National Commission for Almajiri, out-of- school children education set for turbanning as Wakilin Makaranta Daular Usmaniyya

A historic milestone in the advancement of inclusive education in the national and global sphere will be attained with the turbanning of Hon. Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale as the first Wakilin Makarantar Daular Usmaniyya (Education Ambassador of Sokoto Caliphate) by his Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto Amirul Mumineen Sultan Muhammad Saad Abubakar at the Sultan Palace, Sokoto on the 2nd November 2026.
This august ceremony which is the first of its kind in the annals of the legendary Sokoto Caliphate will be graced by the creme de la creme of the political, academic, religious, administrative, corporate, traditional and professional elite of the nation.
This due recognition of Dr Balarabe Shehu Kakale by the eminent Sultan of Sokoto and the entire Sultanate Council is in appreciation of his vigorous, creative, resilient and dynamic efforts and exertions geared towards promoting, reforming and reinvigorating the teaching and learning of education throughout Nigeria and the global arena especially for the marginalizedand underserved children like the Almajiris.
Indeed, the Sokoto Caliphate as the progenitor of the lslamic religion and education in Northern Nigeria was founded on knowledge and education, built by knowledge and education and sustained by knowledge and education.
As a stalwart pillar of education globally, the distinguished Sultan of Sokoto by this auspicious honour conferred on Dr Balarabe Kakale, has reaffirmed the primacy of education and the quest for knowledge, foundational numeracy and literacy skills in the overall growth, progress and development of society.
Undoubtedly, the cerebral Dr Balarabe Shehu Kakale, a Honorable Member of the House of Representatives (2019-2023) and the lead sponsor of the Bill that incubated the National Commission for Almajiri and Out of School Children Education (NCAOOSE) is richly deserving of this royal honour as he has also introduced and co- created crucial reform policies and creative programs for the advancement of the functional education model which aims to equip pupils and students with sound vocational and technical skills that will enhance their employment opportunities after leaving school.
Dr Kakale also advocated for the introduction of the Pondok educational project based on the lndonesian model in Sokoto State which established character development and morals, numerous vocational, technical and skills acquisition schemes in Almajiri schools in order to enable the students acquire needed technical know how to become productive and employable in the larger society.
During his memorable tenure in the House of Representatives, Hon Balarabe Shehu Kakale was able to strenously and successfully push the pivotal Bill for the Establishment of the National Commission for Almajiri and Out of School Children Education despite stiff opposition from certain quarters.
Dr Balarabe Kakale overcame their objections by constructive debates, engagements and collective legislative actions making it clear that apart from Almajiri, the Commission will cater for all out of school children nationwide including street children, IDPs, child labourers, trade apprentices, migrant fishermen and motor technicians of school age across the six geopolitical zones.
This epochal NCAOOSCE Bill scaled the first, second and third reading stages, conference meetings and concurrence sessions before it was transmitted to the Executive Arm wherein the then President Muhammadu Buhari of blessed memory assented to the Bill as an Act of the National Assembly on the 27th of May 2023 on the auspicious Children’s Day.
Hon Dr Balarabe Kakale had achieved a monumental feat that many could only dream of as his landmark Bill led to the establishment of the National Commission for Allmajiri and OOSC Education, the first time in history that the federal government would decisively tackle the Almajiri and out of school children debacle head on.
An innovative Hon Balarabe Kakale who is the Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister of Education on Almajiri Education Reforms has also taken far-reaching steps in supporting the Hon Minister towards the regulation, improvement and formalization of Almajiri schools and other Non formal Learning Centers with emphasis on their foundational literacy, numeracy, skills acquisition, digital education, civic education and sustainable funding.
The creative education guru has also established the Honourable Minister’s Grassroots Education Ambassadors project in the six geopolitical zones in conjunction with the Alliance of Civil Societies for Sustainable Inclusive and Transformative Education ( ACSITE).
The purpose of this initiative is to ensure that students in Almajiri and all Non Formal schools are properly educated, well catered for, have adequate facilities, are not induced or coerced into begging for alms and are also taught vocational and technical skills without undermining their traditional lslamic education curricula.
Under the purposeful mantra: ‘Quality, Inclusive and Functional Education With No Child Left Behind’,
Dr Balarabe Kakale who also holds the esteemed title of Barden Tsangayu Da Makarantun Allon Hausa, has also been in the forefront of projecting the functional education model of the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa through the NESRI Agenda with its emphasis on STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine),
Girl-Child Education,Almajiri and OOSC Education,
TVET (Technical, Vocational, Education, Training).
Data and Digitalization and
Education Quality Assurance.
Indeed, Hon Dr Balarabe Shehu Kakale the innovative, resourceful and erudite Wakilin Makarantar Daular Usmaniyya by the special grace of Almighty Allah and the Sokoto Sultanate sees this unfettered recognition as an added grease to his elbows as he continues to burn the proverbial midnight oil in the unrelenting and unwavering service of his beloved fatherland.