CRYSTAL EDUCATION NEWSMAGAZINE

Five million Nigerian girls not in school —AHI

September 11, 2015 : Bukola Adebayo 1 Comment

  

| credits: newtelegraphonline.com

The Executive Director, Action Health Incorporated, Mrs. Nike Esiet, has said that over five million Nigerian girls of school age are not in school.

Essiet said this at a consultative meeting organised by AHI in collaboration with the Lagos State government and the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Lagos on Wednesday.

According to her, majority of these girls are living in slums and rural communities where access to good education is still a luxury.

She stated,“The United Nations Educational Organisation for Education, Science and Culture says that over five million Nigerian girls of school age are not in school. There are indications that majority of them are socially and sexually vulnerable, particularly those living in slums and low income communities across the country.

“Very little is being done directly or indirectly to seek out these girls and address the challenges they face as individuals.”

She noted that due to lack of assistance, many of them engage in menial jobs which makes them vulnerable to domestic and sexual violence.

Essiet said, “When a girl that is supposed to be in school starts working as a house girl or sales girl, she is more likely to engage in transactional sex. She will fall victim of exploitative labour. If she is living in a slum where the youths engage in risky bahaviours like drug abuse, she is more exposed to sexual violence.”

She therefore called on international agencies, stakeholders in the education sector to empower out –of – school girls through vocational training in these communities.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Bola Thomas, said even though the Federal Government had instituted some vocational programmes for affected girls, it could however not execute them alone.

Thomas said it was the responsibility of state governments to map out empowerment programmes that would rehabilitate and reintegrate out-of-school girls into the education system.

She said “ The state government has a duty to eradicate poverty and develop the infrastructure of the state for a better society. They know what is going on these communities through their various engagements with the leaders. The agencies and ministry cannot do it alone. Stakeholders should be prepared to support these girls to lead independent lives an get educated”.

The Baale of Makoko Land, Chief Adekunle Olaiya- Akinsemoyin implored the stakeholders to visit rural communities and also mentor these girls.