STRUCTURE AND IMPACT OF MAKARANTUN ‘ILMI IN NASARAWA STATE

Two broad types of traditional Islamic schools exist in specifically Nasarawa State. Makarantun alio which refers to schools where the emphasis is teaching the Glorious Qur'an particularly to the young children; and Makarantun Ilimi or Makarantun Zaure which is for older students who have graduated from the Qur’anic schools and who want to further Islamic education. In this stage, they study under one or more Malams depending on their level, type and depth of specialization. The core subjects embedded in the curriculum of Makarantun ‘Ilimi comprise Glorious Qur’an exegesis (tafsir), traditions of Prophet Muhammad (Hadith), principles and rules of Islamic jurisprudence (Fiqh and usul al-Fiqh), theology (lIlm al-tawhid), mysticism (tasawwuf), history (sirah), Arabic language and literature (al-luggha and al-adab), mathematics (al-hisab), medicine (tibb), and history (tarikh). This paper assesses the structure and impacts of Makarantun ‘Ilmi in Nasarawa State and examine the ethics of Makarantun ‘Ilmi system of education in Nasarawa State. The paper recommends strategies for improvement.