The Development of Educational Curricula in Traditional Qur’anic Schools to Combat Extremism and Its Impact on the Contemporary Northern Nigerian Society

Abstract

The study focuses on developing the curriculum in the traditional Qur’anic schools in the contemporary northern Nigerian society, and suggested ways of solving the problems surrounding the education curricula from not computing with modern developments. There is lack of transformation among many of those who graduated from those schools. As they refuse to accept any other civilization that benefits man in his life, such as Western education, and this has contributed to the introduction and spread of extremist ideologies in the northern part of Nigeria in recent times. This made the government criticize the traditional Qur’anic educational system at the present time. The research explained the impact of schools and their contributions to Nigerian society in memorizing the Holy Qur’an perfectly by students, and the impact of the development of educational Curricula in Traditional Qur’anic Schools to combat extremism. The study used the historical method to trace the history and emergence of traditional schools in northern Nigeria, and the inductive method by tracing their curriculum and the approach that they depend on in teaching the Holy Qur’an. The study concluded that it is necessary to take care of the classical Islamic educational institutions, because history has proven that the traditional Quranic schools are the basis of the education system on which the northern Nigerian society relied hundreds of years ago before the European invasion. It has a great impact on social life, and its positive impact is shown by teaching students the skills of reading and writing in a wise manner in a traditional way in a local language, and plays an effective role in memorizing the Qur’an with perfection among students. The impact of the development of the behavioural aspect appears in combating violence and extremism. The impact of the emotional side of the approach in combating terrorism is shown by explaining the method of the Prophet's da’awah.