This document discusses girl-child education in Nigeria, outlining key issues, challenges, and recommendations. It notes that 130 million children worldwide lack primary education, 81 million of whom are girls. In Nigeria, 4.5 million girls are out of school compared to 4 million boys. Barriers to girl-child education include gender discrimination, early marriage, teenage pregnancy, violence in schools, lack of funding and encouragement. The document recommends collaborative efforts between the government, NGOs, and rights groups to improve advocacy, learning facilities, school proximity, and teacher training to promote girl-child education.

1. Girl-Child Education in Nigeria:
Policy Issues and Challenges
By
Abdulkareem Abdulrazaq

2. “If we educate a boy, we
educate one person. If we
educate a girl, we educate a
family
– and a whole nation.”
~~African proverb

3. outline
Background of the presentation
Statement of the problem
The girl- child
Literature Review
Why girl- child education
Issues in girl- child education
Barriers to girl- child education
National laws
Int’l laws and conventions
NGOs, CBOs and Human Right Groups
Recommendations
Photo splash

4. Background
Sex role
Gender role
Roles assigned by nature by virtue
of biological and natural distinct
features in a man and woman
Societal assigned roles based on
the socio- cultural beliefs and
trado- religious inclinations

5. Traditional belief of the girl- child
Traditionally ingrained negative and obnoxious practices
Girls used for unremunerated and invisible jobs
Channeled towards BMM & R
Girls training regarded as bad investment leading to
illiteracy
Uninformed mind, vulnerability, disadvantaged in the
society
Girls are seen as property
to the parent
To the husband

6. Statement of the problem
130 million children worldwide had no access to primary
education, of which 81 million are girls
More than 75 per cent of the 3.4 million children out of
school are girls
In 2009, around 35 million girls were still out of school
compared to 31 million boys.
In Nigeria 4.5 million girls are out of school as against
boys of 4 million as at 2011.

7. Statement of the Problem
130 million children worldwide had no access to
primary education, of which 81 million are girls
More than 75 per cent of the 3.4 million children out
of school are girls
In 2009, around 35 million girls were still out of school
compared to 31 million boys.
In Nigeria 4.5 million girls are out of school as against
boys of 4 million as at 2011.
“Poverty has a woman’s face” undp- 2002

9. The Girl Child
The girl-child is a biological female offspring from
birth to eighteen (18) years of age.
This is the age before one becomes young adult. This
period covers the crèche, nursery, primary and
secondary
Early childhood (0 – 5 years), primary (6 – 12 years)
and secondary school (12 – 18years)

10. Literature Review
Education is the process of providing information to
an inexperienced person to help him/her develop
physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, spiritually,
politically and economically
Education has been described as the most important
aspect of human development, a key to a successful
living, especially girl-child education
Education is a vital tool for empowerment that allows
meaningful contributions to society

11. Why girl- child education
Modern democracies place it as top priority the
observance and respect of all fundamental rights as
guaranteed. It is upon this, even and level playing ground
that utmost potentials of the citizenry, particularly the girl
child are harvested in the realm of development all round
“The education of girls and women is important, not only
as a matter of respecting a basic human right for half of
the population, but as a powerful force for economic
development and achieving other social goals such as
improved health and civic involvement,” Falt.

12. Why girl- child education cont’d
Girls' education does not only bring the immediate
benefit of empowering girls, but is seen as the best
investment in a country's development. Education
helps girls to develop essential life skills including self
confidence, the ability to participate effectively in
society and protect themselves from HIV/ AIDS and
other sexual exploitations
Girls' education also helps in cutting infant and
maternal mortality rates, contributing to national
wealth and controlling disease and health status
Children of educated women are likely to go to school

13. Issues
Access
Retention
Drop out
Completion

14. Barriers to girl- child education
Gender discrimination;
Early marriage;
Teenage pregnancy;
Violence against girls in school;
Funding;
Child and domestic labour;
Lack of encouragement;
Low Government effort.

15. National Laws
SECTION 18 (1) CFRN 1999- free, equal and adequate
education at all levels
Section 18 (3) CFRN 1999
a) Universal primary education;
b) Free secondary education;
c) Free university education; and
d) Free adult – literacy programme
Universal Basic Education Act 2004

16. National Instruments
GTZ-SUPPORTED INTEGRATED GIRL CHILD EDUCATION
PROJECT IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
Universal Basic Education (UBE)
All states board of basic education
National commission for mass literacy and non- formal
education (NMEC)
Officers’ Wives Associations of the Nigerian Armed
Forces (Army, Navy, and Air Force)
National Gender Policy

17. International laws and conventions
Convention on the Right of the Child (1989)Article 12 – the right of the child to hold views
Article 28 – specifies that all children have the right to
primary education
Beijing Conference (1995)
Strategic Objective L4- ‘eliminate discrimination against
girls in education, skills development and training.
Dakar World Educational Forum (2000)
Establishment of framework for the accomplishment of
Education for all (2015)

18. NGOs
The Girl- Child Network Trust
Girl- Child Concern
Girl- Child Network
Save the Girl- Child

19. Recommendations
Collaborative effort from the Govt, NGOs, CBOs and
Human Right Groups
Provision of basic learning facilities in schools
Need for improved advocacy on the need for GirlChild Education
Need to improve on the proximity of schools to
villages
Need for well- trained teachers

20. POLICY RECOMMENDATION
Incorporation of girl- child education in the existing laws
and education policies
National Gender Policy should be revised and pay
attention to girl- child education as well as adult female
well being.

25. TERIMA KASIH
THANK YOU