By KUZHE ASHEZI DORCAS
The
huge educational lapse in Nigeria is fast becoming an issue of major concern
especially as it relates to girl-child education. The girl-child’s right to
education is an economic, social and cultural right as well as a civic and
political right since a person cannot fully realize his or her freedom without
education.
Like
all human rights, the context of girl’s right to education can be found in our
local legislations and international commitments. The 1984 Universal
Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) provides the first international recognition
of the right to education when it stated that, “Everyone has the right to
education”.
Chapter
4 of the 1999 Constitution and various other sections of the Constitution frown
against discrimination of any type. Despite all these, the girl-child still
bears the doubt jeopardy. She suffers first as a child, then the discrimination
that comes as a result of being a girl-child.
It
is rather unfortunate that even in the 21st century, the female
Nigerian child, especially in the northern part of the country, is denied equal
access to education and several of them are exposed to harmful traditional
practices like genital mutilation, denial of education,; child trafficking,
etc.
Education
for the girl-child just as any other child, is generally considered to be one
of the core rights as the basis for achieving other rights. Statistically,
monitoring of education revealed that the national literacy rate for females is
only 56% as compared to 72% for males. In other states, the female literacy
enrolment and achievement rates are much more and unreasonably lower to their
male counterparts.
Factors Militating against girl-Child
Education in Nigeria
Action
Aid International (AAIN) discovered in a research that there was gap in favour
of boys in school enrolment, retention and completion. The study on girl
education revealed certain factors:
*
Teenage marriage has militated against girl attendance, retention and achievement
in school. About 30% of school age girls drop out of school having already
begun child-bearing at an early age. The implication of this is that many have
suffered from psychological imbalance since they are mostly not matured for
managing a marital home. Sickness and diseases such as vasicovaginal fistula
(VVF) have also become rampant as a result of this social prolem which the
girl-child solely suffers.
*
Cultural and religious bias is yet another factor which has indeed contributed
to the low level of girl-child education as many Nigerian parents, especially
in large families with limited resources, enroll boys in school instead of
girls.
*
Gender bias in content and teaching and learning process is another factor. As
claimed by observers, boys are given more opportunities to ask and answer
questions, to use learning materials and to lead groups. Girls are given less
time on task than boys in primary and secondary school science classes.
Teachers also use corporal punishment, thus creating an intimidating classroom
environment.
Other
factors include cost of education, school environment, government policies and
their implementation, culture of the people, child labour, amongst others.
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The Way Forward
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There should be flexibility in our educational policies that will enable
efficient and progressive changes to respond to girl-child educational needs in
spite of their cultural setting. This will make room for government to
recognize and provide education to children with disabilities and those
deprived of the right to education.
*
The quality of education makes it acceptable and to ensure quality, government
must guarantee the maximum standards of health and safety, enforce professional
requirements and prohibit the use of corporal punishment.
*
State governments must devote more time to ensuring free primary education and
at higher level, affordable fees. None should be discriminated against as
prevailing situation reveals so, that all existing gaps may be bridged.
*
the need for proper orientation of Nigerians, especially parents, community
leaders, opinion leaders and religious leaders. This will help a long way in
improving the enrolment of the girl-child.
In
conclusion, our northern leaders where this problem is rampant, should not
remain at the level of implementing policies of the federal government alone,
but formulate applicable and result-oriented policies that will aid the
educational development of the girl-child, having in mind the trite expression
that “when you educate a man, you educate an individual, but when you educate a
woman, you educate a nation.” Girl education is like sowing the seed which
gives rise to green, cheerful and full family plant.
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