Prof. Muhammad  Abdullahi is the  Registrar of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies. He is the founder and Proprietor of Ameer Shehu Idris College of Advanced Studies, Zaria.

The National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies is a Board initially established under the defunct Northern Nigerian Ministry of Education with its headquarters at Kaduna in 1960.

The Premier Sir Ahmadu Bello Sardauna  set up a very strong and powerful committee composed of some ministers under the chairmanship of the then Minister of Education, Alhaji Isa Kaita.  The committee recommended for the establishment of a unit under the inspectorate division of the then ministry of education of Northern Nigeria under the leadership of late Professor Haliru Binji to look after the affairs of Arabic and Islamic studies in Northern Nigeria including Quranic and Islamic schools.

In 1962, late Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Hussaini Adamu succeeded Professor Binji. However, the activities of the unit were transferred to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria after the coup in 1966. The Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University continued with activities of the Board.

For the purpose of clarity, let me state that it was a unit under Northern Nigerian Ministry of Education, but when it moved to ABU it became a Board with late Alhaji Mukhtar Abdulrahman as its first coordinator.
He was succeeded by Malam Faruk Imam, before Professor Shafi’u Abdullahi took over in 1988 to date.

With the change in the national policy of education in 1980s and 1990s where GCE and Grade 11  examination were phased out,  the board switched from teacher education to secondary school training.

During the Military region the new  policy of education of 6-3-3-4 system was introduced, then the board follow the system which transformed their role and status to  fully National  Board, which  incorporated not only the entire North but also other parts of the country.

In 2011, a memo was presented to the Joint Consultative Committee on Education requesting for national recognition of the Board which was accepted after long deliberations and NBAIS commenced the conduct of examination at the national level like WAEC and NECO with a mandate to go on advocacy to other states and also to review their curriculum to include science subjects and arts.

The Board is a national regulatory and examination body in charge of Arabic and Islamic institutions especially at the secondary level. Initially, it had only three Arabic and Islamic secondary schools in the North, two in Kano and one in Sokoto. After the creation of states, the board embarked on the policy of expansion to other states that have established their arabic schools though not as many as Northern Nigeria.  Edo, Osun and Oyo states were among the states that registered with the Board.

The Board was initially established to boost the position of education in Northern Nigeria with particular reference to informal education; Arabic and Qur’anic schools which the North was known to have for a long time as well as having special education in schools. But now the aim is to provide our higher institutions of learning with qualified candidates who can compete at different levels.

The first school recognized by this Board at that time was in Edo State followed by another one in Osun State. A memo was subsequently presented to the federal government requesting for approval to grant the Board a national status, which we later succeeded and became a national examination body.

Presently NBAIS have a zonal office at Enugu for South East, with a desk officer whose responsibility is to go round and look after schools that registered with the board.
 
Now, not less than 23 states including Abuja participating in NBAIS examinations.

And there are less than 1, 200 Arabic Schools participating across the country with a strong workforce of Muslims and Christians because the board is an examination body not a mere religious organization.

 It is important the public to know that the board does not only conduct examinations in Arabic or Islamic Studies, also conduct examinations in arts and science subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, Agric, Geography, languages, religious studies, history and vocational subjects some of which are taught in Arabic.

That is why NBAIS employ Muslims and Christians.

It is a government establishment like any public organization based on civil service rules.

Examination malpractice is an issue of great concern which is commonly found with schools or candidates.
The Board has taken the issue with seriousness, introduced very strict measures to prevent malpractice.

NBAIS recorded greatest achievement for not recorded any serious examination malpractice from either candidates or schools.
 
Most of the candidates, who passed through NBAIS, scored high marks in JAMB results, our findings revealed.

 
The board has since relocated to their permanent site in Kaduna.

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