By Justina Auta
Some education stakeholders have called for the implementation of education policies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promote girl child education and reduce Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) cases.
The stakeholders said this on Thursday at the 2024 Girls Education Summit (GES’24) organised by Girls Education Access Initiative (GEAI) and Network of Youths for Sustainable Initiative (NGYouthSDGs) in Abuja.
The Founder, GEAI Mrs Kemi Gbadamosi-Braimah, said that there are over 10 million out of school children in Nigeria, with girls and young women accounting for over 60 per cent of the figure.
“Nigeria has a crisis of uneducated girls, and it is only a matter of time before we see that as they get older, we have a generation of women who are not literate.
“When you educate girls, at least give them 12 years of quality education, countries stand to gain trillions in development.
“By so doing, instead of leaving half of your population behind, you are carrying them along.
“When girls get educated, they become women who join the labour force and contribute to productivity,” she said.
She said that there were policies and practices which should be collectively implemented and strengthened across board.
She, therefore, advocated the need for community leaders, partners, NGOs and other stakeholders to champion girls rights and implementation of education policies to improve girl child education.
According to her, the organisation has also empowered over 200 young girls and women on improved access to quality education, skills acquisition and community mobilisation on girls’ rights.
The First Secretary, Development Diplomacy and Education, British High Commission, James O’Donoghue, reiterated the commitment of the UK to supporting the Nigerian government, especially in areas of education.
According to O’Donoghue, girls education is one of the best investments that the world can make for economic and social development, which translates to removal of generational poverty.
”It raises a lifetime earning for girls and grows nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), reduces child marriage, and maternal mortality rates,” he said.
The Founder and Executive Director, Tabitha Empowerment Centre (TEC), Mrs Christina Uzo-Okamgba, said that child marriage, harmful cultural practices and patriarchal norms, and Sexual Violence, were some of the barriers that hindered girl child education.
“We have to come together to make sure that all these vices are eliminated in the society to enable our girls have access to education.
“These obstacles not only deprive girls of their rights to education, they also limit their potential to contribute meaningfully to their communities and nations development,” she said.
She urged all stakeholders to champion inclusive educational opportunities for vulnerable children, particularly survivors of GBV.
Speaking on behalf of traditional leaders, Alhaji Yunusa Bako-Abdullahi, District Head of Karonmajigi community, AMAC, Abuja, expressed appreciation to the organisations for their role in promoting girl child education.
The district head was represented by Mohammed Gidado.
Other highlights of the event were panel discussions on Girls’ right to quality education: Bridging Policy and Practice in Nigeria, and Unpacking Barriers to Girl’s Education and Strategic Recommendations for Improvement in Nigeria.
Also, some students from Junior Secondary School (JSS) and Local Education Authority (LEA), Kpegi, said that the GEAI project in their community had encouraged them to return to school and ensure completion.
