Unique Care and Support Foundation (CASFOD), a nonprofit organization, has commemorated the 11th-anniversary of the International Day for the Girl-Child by launching a technology-driven Spelling Bee and Mathematics Quiz Competition for Junior Secondary Schools in Borno state.
In a press release, Benjamin John, the organization’s Executive Director, announced that the competition, which is in its first season, will feature five local government areas, including Maiduguri, Jere, Konduga, Kaga, and Mafa LGAs.
“This initiative will enhance academic excellence in schools, draw government focus towards supporting the quality of education in the state and mobilize support for schools towards supporting initiatives that increase girls access to quality education.
“Let me use this opportunity on this special day to call on all eligible schools to enroll on this epoch-making initiative that would set the stage for improved literacy level for our children, especially the girl child,” the release said.
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The organization believes that the spelling bee and mathematics quiz competition will set the stage for improved literacy levels, particularly for the girl-child.
CASFOD also called for concerted efforts to bridge the digital divide in the education sector and eliminate sexual and gender-based violence, poverty, and discrimination against girls, in line with this year’s theme “Invest in Girls’ Rights: Our Leadership, Our Wellbeing.”
It emphasized the need to empower girls and women to realize their rights, which will help them reach their potentials and create better lives for themselves and their communities.
“We believe that every Girl-Child deserves a better world, a world that is free from sexual and gender-based violence, a world free from poverty, a world where every girl has access to basic healthcare needs, a world free from any form of discrimination, a world where every girl has a voice and a world where every girl is empowered to create opportunities for herself,” John said in the release.
CASFOD also noted that many girls in Nigeria face enormous challenges, including disruption of education due to the Boko Haram crisis in the Northeast, banditry in parts of the Northwest, and other forms of violence. The organization said that this is particularly damaging to the girls and the nation as a whole.
It also expressed concerns about the current state of education in Nigeria, especially the high number of children who lack basic literacy and numeracy skills.
