1 January 2009
Niger State has been recording a steady decline in the enrolment of girl-child into higher educational institutions, heightening the fears that the state may not meet up the 30 percent world minimum representation of women in all socio-economic and political development by the year 2020.
The Permanent Secretary in the Niger State Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Hadiza N. Muhammad, made this known while delivering a key-note address at the National Convention of Azza Development Association at Muye in Lapai Local Government Area of the state.
According to her, statistics showed that Azza land, which constituted a larger part of the state, recorded a mere 30 percent female enrolment in secondary school, which dropped to two percent and one percent for university admission and post graduate study respectively.
She stated that the girl-child education at primary school level was 50 percent, the same as for the boys, saying that the high level of primary school enrolment was as a result of the free and compulsory education policy of the Universal Basic Education.
"At the secondary level, the trend starts to change, indicating that fewer girls complete their secondary educa-tion...girls are usually withdrawn at this level and sent out in marriage," she said.
Another reason for the decline in the girl-child education at higher level, the permanent secretary emphasized, was the poverty that continued to weigh down most parents.
Dr. Hadiza also said one of the brighter hopes for the improvement of girl-child education in the state was the introduction of free education for girls at all levels, by the administration of Governor Aliyu Mua'zu Babangida, adding: "we should be able to take advantage of the situation for a better tomorrow."
State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Isah Yahaya Vatsa, advised youths to take education very serious, because, it had a great deal of influence on their future endeavours.
"Education is the bedrock of all developments, especially that the present administration has facilitated tremendously, the acquisition of education in our primary and post primary schools, by waving the payment of NECO and WAEC examinations fees", Dr. Vatsa said.
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