THE Federal Government (FG) has expressed worry over the declining level of girl-child education in the country, especially in the North East.
It attributed the development to the extremism of Bokoharam terrorists in the North-eastern part of the country.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu recently made the observation at the commissioning of the second Air force Girls’ comprehensive school, at the Nigerian Air Force base, Abuja.
The Minister, who spoke through the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs Folashade Yemi-Esan also identified poverty as well as cultural and religious beliefs as one of the major factors militating against girl child education in the country.
He said these factors have clearly undermined the roles of the girl child:”who naturally is meant to be a friend, teacher, confidant, counselor, a mother and the hand that feeds.”
“Another contributing factor to this disadvantaged position of the girl child is the brazen extremism of Bokoharam and its targeting of girls education in the Northern states.
“As a result, risks associated with the attendance of girls in schools had kept female education attainment persistently low due to a sharp decline in enrolment,”He said.
Adamu, however, commended efforts of men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces in the ongoing fight against insurgency.
He said :”i wish to use this opportunity to salute our gallant men and women of the Nigerian Armed Forces for the sacrifices and good work they are doing to repel and crush all forms of extremism especially in the North East.”
On the newly commissioned girls’ comprehensive school he said this is aimed at supporting the current administration efforts at enhancing girl-child education in Nigeria.
The Minister, to this end, assured that the government would continue to evolve policies and provide enabling environment to promote education in the country.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, said the project was borne out of the need to enhance the welfare of the Airforce personnel.
He revealed that the counter – insurgency fight in the North east has indicated that the girl child is often exploited due to low literacy level.
However, he said:”it is against this backdrop that the Nigerian Air Force resolved to establish this school as our modest contribution to Mr.President’s efforts at enhancing the girl child education in Nigeria and to further strengthen the belief that when you educate a woman, you educate a generation.”
He added that with the commissioning, the Nigerian Air Force now has two Girls comprehensive Schools with the second, located in Jos.
The Air Marshal further disclosed the construction of similar project in Bauchi state.