Two Governors from Northern Kenya have called on the integration of secular and Islamic studies in a bid to end violent extremism and radicalization among the youth.
The governors were addressing a stakeholders' forum in Garissa on integrating Madrassa and Dugsi into formal education, which was organized by the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK).
Garissa County Governor Ali Korane and his counterpart Ali Roba of Mandera, seemed to be sharing the same school of thought when they hinted that many youths join terror groups on assumption that it offers Islamic teachings and values.
“Other young people should learn lessons from the 1500 Al Shabaab returnees from the Coast who were brainwashed into joining the group but who later realized it was all about an ideological trap,” Korane said.
He noted that Islam was a way of life for its believers and time had come for stakeholders to discuss ways of integrating Madrassa education with the formal education to enable Muslim children to get the best from the two.
On his part Mandera County Governor Ali Roba: “dismissed skeptics who believed the integration of the two systems of education could increase violent extremism currently being witnessed in some parts of the country.”
However, he challenged the participants to confront the issue of violent extremism associated with some Islamic groups so as to produce the best out of the two systems of education.
“Muslims have great trust in religious leaders but there is a need to establish the background of some teachers before allowing them to teach children in madrassas and Dugsis,” Governor Roba said.