Role of tsangaya (almajiri) schools on illiteracy alleviation in Nigeria

Generally, in Islamic countries and in Nigeria in particular, Tsangaya schools are considered the first schools after the home in which children learn Qur'an and some principles of Islamic religion, it has the greatest impact in preserving the Arabic language and spreading it among all Muslim ethnicities. tsangaya schools have been the main centers for teaching Arabic reading and writing skills for a long time even before British colonialism in the region, however, after the advent of Western education, English became the official language in Nigeria and is used in the general educational curricula. This is what made society almost forget, the roles of tsangaya schools in the society, which represents a positive role in teaching the Islamic religion. For this purpose, this paper aims to highlight on the roles of tsangaya (Quranic) schools in Nigeria in teaching Arabic and Islamic civilization, especially with regard to teaching reading and writing skills through classical methods. As well as its process on alleviating illiteracy in the society, This study will also present some of the problems facing these schools, alongside some solutions, where as the result of this study revealed that teachers of tsangaya schools have given a very valuable contributions in Nigeria towards teaching religious matters, ethics and moral values to the societies. Keywords: Tsangaya school, Illiteracy alleviation, Skills, Teaching, Nigeria