House Calls for Free Education for Girl-child Nationwide

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The House of Representatives has called on the Federal Ministry of Education to drastically reduce or eradicate the number of out-of-school girls by ensuring compulsory free education for girls across the country.

 The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved yesterday, by Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, to commemorate 2023 International Day of the Girl Child “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being”
Moving the motion, the lawmaker said 11th of October every year was globally celebrated as International Day of the Girl-Child, adding that the occasion provides a platform for the global community to understand the disadvantages the Girl-Child faces in life.

She said International Day of the Girl-Child was a day adopted by the United Nations to remind young girls of their uniqueness, strength and prowess.
Ogbara, added that it was also a day set aside to address issues such as early or child marriage, violence against girls, rape, child molestation, education deprivation and all other issues faced by girls;

She said that adolescent girls have the right to a safe, educated and healthy life, investing in girls’ leadership includes creating space and platforms for girls to raise their voices at every level of policymaking.
The lawmaker lamented that  in most countries, patriarchy and power dynamics affords boys comparative advantages compared to girls in most domain; saying last survey from UNICEF revealed that 18.5 million  children are out of school, out of this number, 60 per centare girls  a factor that left them behind across multiple dimensions.

 She expressed worry that the high number of out-of-school girls that engage in drugs and other vices, throughout history, girls have been systematically held back and undervalued in society.

Ogbara, explained that investment in critical steps such as the Girls Rights under the Convention of the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) would help to fast track the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
 She noted that the current trend in Nigeria revealed that young girls who are sexually abused by their parents/guardians, return back to the same house where they were abused after police intervention.

In its resolution however, the House urged  the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the  National Orientation Agency (NOA) and other stakeholders to initiate ways of educating and sensitising adolescent girls on the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse in commemoration of the 2023 International Day of the Girl Child in Nigeria going forward;

 It urged: “The Federal Ministry of Education to drastically reduce/eradicate the number of out-of-school girls by ensuring compulsory free education for girls across the country.”

The House also urged the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) saddled with the responsibility of training and empowerment to ensure compulsory vocational skills acquisition training for girls to keep them engaged and productive enough to keep them away from drugs.