By Ibrahim Abdul’Aziz, Regional Correspondent
_____
In a renewed effort towards ensuring equality and achieving desired results in girl-child education, Gender at the Centre Initiative (GCI), had held a high-level meeting on gender-responsive education sector planning in Adamawa state.
The sensitization meeting was aimed to brainstorm with stakeholders on responsive education planning in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The Gender at the Centre Initiative (GCI) is a global alliance of civil society and international organizations working in eight pilot countries across sub-Saharan Africa to mobilize the necessary political leadership and expertise at the country level to rapidly step up progress for gender equality in and through education.
Speaking earlier, Hajiya Jiddere Kaibo, the Led Consortium GCI, said that the aim of the programme was to support the ministry of education to straighten attention to gender in the development, implementation and monitoring of education plans.
Kaibo prevailed on decision-makers to always ensure gender balance in the centre of their decision making.
According to her, the GCI is ready to ensure quality education for boys and girls as the fundamental right, especially now that some of the children are out of school due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mrs. Kaibo who is also the coordinator of Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), in Nigeria, regrets that despite awareness and campaigns there is a long way to go in achieving girl child education.
‘’ There are various cultural and socioeconomic issues that prevent women from having adequate access to education.
‘’ Various cultural and social values have historically contributed to gender disparity in education just as the decline in economic activities also negatively plays its role, especially with this pandemic, coronavirus-COVID -19,’’ she noted.
She was emphatic that to achieve the desired result, all hands must be on deck, ‘’ Government and other stakeholders must do the needful in ensuring girl child education.’’
Adamawa Govt pledges support
The government pledged to collaborate with all stakeholders towards the development of the education sector, especially girl-child education in the state.
Mrs. Wilbina Jackson, Commissioner of Education and Human Capital Development said that the state government would ensure the success of the programme to enable girls-child to contribute their quota to the development of the state.
‘’ This administration has done a lot in ensuring girl child education and the door is open to collaborate with all stakeholders towards the development of the education sector,’’ she said.
Also speaking, Dr. Salihi Ateequ, Chairman Adamawa Universal Basic Education Board urged all stakeholders to encourage girl-child education, especially at the grassroots.
He expressed sadness about how the girl-child was at the receiving end and the problem of early marriage.
- Federal Government To Revive Adults, Almajiris Education - September 24, 2023
- Fraud : Pastor Deceived Me to Sell My Only House, Jilted Evangelist Tells Yola Court - February 5, 2021
- 2023 : Nigerians Will Vote Out APC – Gov Wike - February 4, 2021
