Rufa’i, Suleiman task FG on girl-child education, deepening democratic institution

A former Minister of Education, Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, on Monday, called on government at all levels on the need to demonstrate sufficient political will towards addressing various challenges inhibiting girl-child education across the country.

Professor Rufa’i gave the charge in Abuja, at the 3rd Convocation ceremony of 112 graduates of the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) and the University of Benin.

While delivering the Convocation Lecture of the University of Benin and the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) on the “Insecurity and the new dangers to the Girl Child education in Nigeria: Options for Nigeria Government,’ observed that Nigeria has the unenviable position of having the highest number of out of school children in the world with diverse showing between 10.5 million to 20 million being out of school.

She said: “In order to address the development challenges of Nigeria, there must be concerted efforts at solving the problem of girl-child education.

“The girl-child grows up to be women and they are a key part of the population, making up at least half of the numbers. Our quest for progress cannot get anywhere unless we address the skills and human capacity challenges of the majority of the population – girls and women.

“It is on these that Nigeria will depend to drive its future aspirations. The Federal Republic of Nigeria must continue to work to address the challenges of bringing girls and women to the mainstream,” she urged.

While expressing grave concern over the myriad of security challenges ravaging the country, namely: extremist insurgencies, banditry and kidnappings, farmers-herders clashes, regional separatist groups, militants, communal conflicts, porous borders, civil protests and politically-induced conflicts, she decried the emerging issues causing dangers to Girl Child’s access to education, such as school abduction, school closures, displacement of population, low revenue allocation to the education sector, among others.

According to her, some of the factors responsible for security challenges include; poor access to quality education and economic opportunities, unemployment and poverty, bad governance and poor accountability, porous borders and arms proliferation and lack of trust in the government by the citizenry.

In his remarks, NILDS Director-General, Olanrewaju Suleiman, disclosed that the Institute’s Governing Council recently approved the review of the Institute’s scheme of service and introduced among other things the promotion of qualified academics in the Institute to the rank of a Professor.

“This has since boosted the morale and commitment of staff to work. It has also reduced brain drain in the system as it was the case before my assumption of duty at the Institute.”

In the bid to improve on the service delivery, the NILDS helmsman unveiled plans toward expanding partnership with reputable institutions in Nigeria and beyond as means of advancing the technical capacity of the National Assembly and other democratic actors and institutions.

“To improve service delivery and the quality of NILDS intervention and programmes, the Institute’s management has embarked on a rigorous training exercise that involves all cadres of staff. The intention is to prepare and inculcate members of staff to the requisite competencies. Academic, administrative, technical and support staff are all being exposed to various capacity building locally and internationally to improve their skills and prepare them for effective service delivery.”

In her address, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin, Lilian Salami, who noted that UNIBEN and NILDS have earned a solid and unassailable reputation of excellence, urged the Graduands not to “lower the bar. Rather, you should leverage the good name of the University and Institute to be the best wherever you choose to go after now and whatever venture you decide to engage in.

“When the University prides itself as the ‘UNIBEST’, the acronym has been earned through the core values of hard work, tenacity, resourcefulness, discipline, focus, and diligence. The University of Benin has also, in the past fifty-one years, been adjudged best in many spheres of academic disciplines. The alumni are excelling in their various fields of endeavour and flying the University’s flag high, both nationally and internationally. This is the result of our commitment to the training of graduates.”

She observed that the University of Benin has also in the “past 51 years been adjudged best in many spheres, academic disciplines, the Alumni are excelling in their various fields of endeavours and flying the university’s flag high both nationally and internationally.

“This is the result of our commitment to the training of graduates who are truly worthy in learning and character. You cannot afford to be different. Go forth and shine because you have been adequately trained and equipped for that.”

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Rufa’i, Suleiman task FG on girl-child education, deepening democratic institution