Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has underscored the critical importance of prioritising girl-child education in Nigeria, calling for a concerted multisectoral approach to address gender-based barriers to quality education.
According to him, government at all levels, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations (CSOs), and partners in the donor community must come together “with a singular focus: ensuring that every Nigerian child, regardless of gender or geography, receives quality education.”
Vice President Shettima gave the charge Thursday in Abuja when he declared open the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) International Conference on Girl-Child Education themed “Girl-Child Empowerment through Quality Education.”
Represented by Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, he described the statistics of out-of-school children in Nigeria as a stark reminder of the “urgency of this mission.”
He pointed out that the risk posed by each out-of-school child should concern all stakeholders, and “what we need is a concerted, multi-sectoral approach.”
The vice president stressed the need for the federal, state, local governments, civil society and partners in the donor community to come together with a singular focus.
…Statistics
According to him, the latest multiple indicator cluster survey showed that 25.6 per cent of children of primary school age are out of school.
“And this rate rises to 29.6 per cent for secondary school age children, each child, abandoned to the streets, is a liability that the nation will one day pay for.”
In specific terms, Shettima said states in the north west and north east face the highest out-of-school rates in Kebbi, Zamfara, and Bauchi.
“For example, more than 60 per cent of primary school-age children are not in school with Kebbi at a staggering 64.8 per cent.
“The secondary school numbers are similarly alarming with Bauchi at 66.75 per cent, Kebbi at 63.8 percent and Jigawa is my state, at 62.6 per cent.
“We cannot allow ourselves to be held hostage by these frightening numbers. Now is the time to treat them as an emergency. And the only way forward is to take specific action plans that address the unique needs and barriers in each region.”
“We must remember that the child who remains out of school today will be a threat to their peers in the classroom tomorrow. We cannot afford to turn away from this reality, and the need for creative and innovative solutions is now more pressing than ever,” he added.
Shettima said the National Economic Council (NEC) was set to guarantee the future of a girl-child by adopting education as one of its critical thematic areas of intervention, alongside health, nutrition, and employability in a rapidly changing world.
He said: “We have set the ambitious goal of achieving a 0.6 score on the World Bank’s human capital index.
“And we understand that the road to this objective involves increasing years of schooling, improving the quality of education, and ensuring that no child, especially no girl child, is left vulnerable or out of school. Our data further emphasises the urgency of addressing these issues, particularly in northern Nigeria.”
“Alongside health, nutrition, and employability in a rapidly changing world, our Human Capital Development Programme is a radical response to the generational gaps in our education sector.
“We have set the ambitious goal of achieving a 0.6 score on the World Bank’s Human Capital Index, and we understand that the road to this future involves increasing years of schooling, improving the quality of education, and ensuring that no child—especially no girl child—is left vulnerable or out of school,” he also clarified.
…Way out
On the way out of the mess, Shettima said education financing remains a critical aspect of the federal government strategy in the last few years.
“We have seen a significant increase in education expenditure. For example, in 2022 states spent one trillion naira on education, representing 12 per cent of total expenditures.
“By 2024, states committed N2.4 trillion to education, while the federal government allocated N2.2 trillion. This brings the combined total allocation to N4.6 trillion.
“Although states have 14 per cent of their budgets dedicated to education, we must aim higher.
“Our campaign to see 15 to 20 percent of the state budget allocated to education is not just a target, but a necessity as it is the surest way to guarantee the future of our children and our nation.”
…Still on solutions
Continuing, the VP stated: “Whatever reforms we adopt to build a safe space for educating the girl-child must be championed from within our communities.
“Policymaking involves all of us, and we must engage local leaders, traditional rulers, and religious figures to understand the implications of failing to educate the future of this nation.
“The most powerful tool we can offer the girl child is education. We must enhance educational programmes that inform girls and women about their rights and the risks they face if denied the opportunity to make informed choices, especially in matters of health.”
Shettima implored government’s partners in the donor community, including the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and other multilateral institutions, to make a generational difference.
“The dignity of the girl child defines every civilization, and today, we are bound by a duty higher than merely observing the challenges before us. We bear the responsibility of setting the tone for this nation, and there is no greater calling than to prioritise the education of the girl child and other at-risk children. This is a mirror from which we cannot afford to look away because the consequences are dire,” he said.
Shettima further acknowledged that while the issue of girl-child education haunts every nation, her vulnerability in this part of the globe is specifically pronounced.
“Her education is more than a moral obligation; it is the stabilising force of our economic and social order. For every additional year a girl remains in school, her future earning potential increases, infant mortality rates decrease, and poverty levels in communities fall.
“We see this reflected in the Gender Parity Index, which shows that girls have almost caught up with boys at the primary school level, with a ratio of 0.99, and even surpass boys at secondary school level, with a ratio of 1.08.
“However, these gains are at risk unless we intensify our interventions to reach every girl, particularly in areas where barriers remain strongest,” he said.