Vice-President Kashim Shettima has emphasised the critical importance of prioritising girl child education in the country.
Shettima, represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President (Office of the Vice President), Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, at the International Conference on Girl Child Education in Nigeria, urged concerted efforts on quality education.
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 civilisation, 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.
He outlined statistics of out-of-school children in Nigeria, including the latest Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS).
Shettima warned that each child abandoned to the streets is a liability that the nation will one day pay for.
The Vice-President assured that the National Economic Council (NEC), which he chairs, has already set out to guarantee the future of the girl child, adopting education as one of its critical thematic areas of intervention.
Earlier, the Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, reiterated the forum’s commitment to addressing critical challenges bedevilling the education sector in the country.
Represented by the NGF Director-General, Alhaji Abdulateef Shittu, the governor said the forum is deeply concerned by the rising number of out-of-school children in the country.
“This conference aims to address these critical educational crises across our states.
“In celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child 2024, under the theme “Girls’ Vision for the Future,” the NGF and our partners reaffirm our commitment to tackling the fundamental challenges in the education sector.
“Our goals include enhancing basic numeracy and literacy, increasing primary school enrolment to reduce the number of out-of-school children and ensuring smooth transitions from primary to secondary education.
“The states are resolutely committed to addressing these challenges for the betterment of our society,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the conference would raise awareness and promote inclusive education through funding and enrolment initiatives.
