Action Aid Task Govts on Girl Child Education

18th May 2010, Nigeria Country Director, Action Aid Nigeria, Mr. Hussein Abdu has appealed to state governments to give priority to girl-child education.

Abdu, who made the call during a courtesy call to the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, commended the state government its investment in girl-child education, adding that enrolment of girls in schools across the state had increased from 20 percent three years ago to about 75 percent in this year.
He said his organisation has also introduced a new 'transformation' project aimed at transforming girl-child education in the country.

According to him, the organisation's numerous projects in Sokoto state have yielded tangible results, as enrolment of girls in schools has tripled, these he attributed to the support and encouragement of the Sultan.
Abdu however noted that misinterpretation of culture has hindered girl-child education in the region, saying that with concerted efforts by stakeholders and traditional rulers, the ugly trend could be addressed.

He added that there is an ongoing globally campaign tagged 'goal campaign' with the slogan that governments in Africa should continue to fund education. The campaign he said, would be launched in South Africa during the 2010 world cup fiesta.

He told the monarch that a new programme called 'transforming education for girls in Nigeria and Tanzania (TEGINT) began in 2008 and would terminate in 2012, explaining that the overall goal of the project is to achieve a transformation in the education of girls in the two countries.
The benefiting states in the north are Sokoto, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Niger, Bauchi, Gombe and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Responding, the Sultan said all efforts should be made to ensure that girls, who are not as strong as their male counterparts are adequately educated at all levels.

He stated that the Sultanate Council would support all efforts aimed at empowering the less privileged in the society, especially the female gender and urged all to assist humanity, rather than emphasising on some religious and cultural differences.
The Sultan added that educating the girl-child would help to reduce dependency and to a large extent, lift many families out of poverty.

Source: This Day Online