Education of Women and Girls in Nigeria has remained challenged with record millions of children and young people of school age still outside of school and without access to education and being effectively endangered by illiteracy and consequent poverty. A bulk of this population are girls and young adult females. While some start up in primary schools, over half of them drop off entirely after primary school, leaving a staggering number of women and girls in the country barely able to read or write. UNICEF data in – – – – – stated that – – – – – – number of children were out of school in Nigeria, while in 2022, the organization revealed that the figure has risen to – – – – –
Educational deprivation of women and girls in the country is brought about by multiple factors that range from traditional practices and belief systems, poverty and economic conditions, negligence and weak policy implementation. Boys also suffer similar fate from very factors and conditions.
For girls, under these conditions, heavy emphasis is placed on marriage while for both gender, a staggering number of children of school age ply the streets of Nigeria, hawking in sundry goods items, against being in schools and majority simply graduate from street hawking into street life and criminality of different manifest forms.
Albeit legal instrument on protecting the Rights of Children exists in the country and provides for compulsory Basic Education, being the primary through junior secondary levels, enforcement of the relevant provisions have met with a most lukewarm attitude and consequently enabling the situation to thrive. The situation constitutes threats of multiple dimensions to not only the country’s development, but also, to its attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals – SDG -17?? – – –
The VBFoundation is amongst other values, dedicated to the socio-economic emancipation of women and girls and working to bring an end to all barriers to the Educational Rights and Development of Women and Girls in the Country and beyond. The Foundation through its SPEC, the Save-Public-Education-Campaign, is working with Networks and Partners and supporting authorities towards improved actions for better and improved access to quality Education for all, especially Girl-Children in Nigeria.
