GIRL CHILD EDUCATION IN NIGERIA
The importance of girl education to the development of any country cannot be overstated. If we educate a man, we teach that person alone; however, if we educate a woman, we educate her entire family as well as the entire country. Due to societal norms that prioritize boys’ education over girls in many regions of Africa, particularly Nigeria, girls face major obstacles to receiving a quality education, and there is a significant gap between the education of boys and girls. Tradition and society both dictate the girl’s fate based on her biological sex. A gender gap results from the apparent absence of policies that are specifically created to address gender issues. Based on these considerations, this essay examined the problems with girls’ education in Nigeria and how they affect the growth of the nation. In respect to their influence on national development, access to education, school retention and dropout rates, equity, and the quality of education were carefully examined. Nigerians hold the view that women are inferior human beings who serve as either a man’s property or sexual object for pleasure. For girls, this has resulted in unequal schooling.
Due to the nation’s preference for boys over girls, Sooter (2013) discovered that rural Nigerian parents would prefer to educate their son over their daughter. They argued that gender inequality in Nigeria is a result of religion and cultural behaviours that favour boys over girls. Young girls in Northern Nigeria are allegedly denied the right to an education and instead forced into early marriages and teenage pregnancies, which has a negative impact on both the individual and the community. Basic education and equality have been top priorities for all Nigerian governments. Alabi and Alabi (2014) discovered a nationwide gender gap in the enrolment, retention, and completion of basic education. Girls and women in rural and northern Nigeria suffer. Girls are frequently given in early marriages in Northern Nigeria, where education is viewed as a waste of time because only the male progeny carry on the family name (Tobre, 2013). Most Nigerian civilizations see girls as second-class citizens because they are mistreated from birth. Parents are dissatisfied when the first born is a girl, and it’s even worse when there are only female offspring, according to Tyoakaa, Amaka, & Nor (2014), because they worry that there won’t be anyone left to carry on the family name or take charge of the household after they pass away.
Access to Education
The education of girls is important to everyone in Nigeria. UNICEF found in 2007 that 20% of women in the northwest and northeast can read and write and have gone to school. Okekc, Nzcwi, and Njoku (2008) say that child labour, poverty, lack of sponsorship, wealth, bereavement, truancy, broken homes, and child housemaids are to blame. But child labour, which many families do to make extra money and pay for their sons’ education, is one of the biggest things that keeps girls from going to school in the country. Another problem in Nigeria is the number of girls who stay in school or drop out. Studies done in Nigeria show that the number of girls who don’t go to school has gone from 20 million in 1990 to 24 million in 2002. Each state and zone have a different situation, with the North Central and Northwest being the worst (Offorma, 2008). In many rural parts of the country, more girls than boys have this syndrome. In some eastern states, boys quit school to start trading, so this syndrome doesn’t affect them as much. Because of social and cultural norms and the way they are taught in school, girls are at a disadvantage when it comes to their education and growth. Girls usually quit school first because they must take care of sick parents and siblings and do the most work around the house.
It is pertinent to note that the girl child is often restricted from going to school because of cultural norms. These norms are a core part of society and difficult to break. Notably, this is also a part of the idea of child sex preference where parents invest more in the development of a child of a specific gender. Following this, the girl child does not enjoy the same privilege as her male counterparts. Another issue inhibiting the girlchild from education is religion. This is seen predominantly in the Northern part of the country, and it poses a threat to the liberation of women generally. The fact that most parents stop the girl child from attending school because of religious belief is quite appalling. It is important to mention that when the girl child grows without proper education, she becomes ignorant of her rights and is at risk of being cheated. Similarly, she could be vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous individuals. Lack of education could also result in the girl child engaging in social vices including robbery, prostitution, and drug abuse. Accordingly, children given out in marriage at a young age may not get the opportunity to complete their education (Okeke, Anyaehie, & Ezenyeaku, (2012).
Implications of issues in girl-child education in Nigeria on national development
As a parent, one of your main goals is for your children to grow up to be happy, productive members of society. Investing in the education of young women, who will one day become the world’s mothers, is a step in the right direction. Investing in girls’ education is the most effective strategy for promoting a country’s economic growth and social progress because it equips young women with the knowledge and skills necessary to become contributing members of society and to safeguard against violence and health risks such as HIV/AIDS. Education has the power to improve a person’s mental, emotional, spiritual, governmental, and economic capacities. While it is true that educating both boys and girls is important, it has been shown that educating girls has a more direct effect on alleviating poverty and fostering long-term growth and prosperity. A girl’s right to an education, up to and including the highest levels possible, is equal to that of any other citizen. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure their children grow up to be healthy, happy adults who make positive contributions to society. Investing in the education of young women, who will one day become the world’s mothers, is one way to achieve this goal.
Knowledge gained through education can help a person develop in many ways, including but not limited to intellectually, emotionally, spiritually, politically, and economically. While educating both boys and girls is important, research shows that focusing on girls has a greater impact in the long run, particularly in terms of reducing poverty and fostering economic growth. In 1991, UNICEF concluded that investing in girls’ education is essential if we want to help young women of today grow into confident, self-sufficient adults tomorrow. Girls, like boys, have the right to a publicly funded education that is both comprehensive and tailored to their individual needs and abilities.
If a girl isn’t given the opportunity to get an education, she will never be able to get out of a low socioeconomic status that could be made worse by the spread of disease. When a girl child receives an education, she can fulfil her full potential, think, question, and judge freely, acquire civic sense, learn to appreciate her fellow human beings, and become a decent citizen. When a girl-child is educated, her knowledge is enlarged, and she can understand and engage in the socioeconomic, cultural, and political transformations required for progress. It is thought that educating a girl child is the only effective way to reduce poverty and is thus proportionally tied to her living level.
Recommendations
The Nigerian government should enforce the law regarding the right to education. There is need for Private-Public partnership to provide scholarships for girls from poor families. There is need to emphasise the rights of the girl child in society. It’s also important to fight against the idea that boys are inherently better than girls. Parents need to know that if given the same chances, girls can do as well or better in school than boys. Setting up a department for girls to make sure they get a good education and have their rights and welfare protected and discouraging teachers from moving to cities are both important things the government can do to keep teachers and keep smart people from leaving rural areas. It is pivotal for the government to prosecute child offenders to discourage others from abusing children. Notably, the study recommends the use of social media platforms to project the rights of the girl-child.
Photo Credit: https://guardian.ng/opinion/the-value-of-girl-child-education-in-nigeria/
References
Alabi, T., & Alabi, O. (2014). Female education: A sociological analysis of girl-child education in Nigeria. International Journal of Educational Policy Research and Review, 1(1), 6 -13.
Offorma, G. (2008). The boy-child-education in the south-eastern states of Nigeria: problems and prospects. Paper presented at the convention of the Unity Schools Old Students Association (USOSA), held at Dannic Hotel, Enugu.
Okeke, T., Anyaehie, U., & Ezenyeaku, C. (2012). An overview of female genital mutilation in Nigeria. Annals of medical and health sciences research, 2(1), 70-73.
Okeke, C., Nzewi, U., & Njoku Z. (2008). Tracking school age children’s education status in UNICEF A-Field states. Enugu: UNICEF.
Sooter, T. (2013). Early Childhood Education in Nigeria: Issues and Problems. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 3(5), 173.
Tobre, O. (2013). Northern states have Nigeria’s worst girl-child education. Premium imes, Nigeria. Retrieved 25th October, 2013, from http://premiumtimesng.com/news/146560- northern-states-nigeriaworst-girl-child-e ducation-report.
Tyoakaa, L., Amaka, J., & Nor, A. (2014). Problems and challenges of girl-child Education in Nigeria: The situation of Kalgo local government area (LGA) of Kebbi state. IOSR Journal of Research & Method in Education (IOSR-JRME), 4(4), 1-5.
Uwakwe, C., Faleye, A., Emunemu, B., & Adelore, O. (2008). Impact of decentralization and privatization on the quality of education in sub-Saharan Africa: The Nigerian experience. European Journal of Social Science, 7(1), 160-170.
Walkibe, A. (2003). The relationship between girl-child education and women development in Borno State (Unpublished Med Thesis). University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.
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