A Chinese proverb has it that education is the best legacy to give a child because giving a child a skill is better than giving him or her a thousand pieces of gold. When a girl is educated, therefore, she taps the full potential endowed in her and discovers to be whoever and whatever she wants to be. Contextually, therefore, girls’ education stands big to move any society forward. To educate a girl-child means to train her mind, character and abilities. The greatest favour a girl-child can get is “ to get education” and “ to give others education.”
Statistics have shown that of the population in Jigawa State, 2.8 million are female, representing 44 per cent, while 3.4 million are male, representing 56 per cent. Thus, the female population in the state is significant and boosting girl-child education will go a long way in improving the general quality of life. At the moment, data from Jigawa’s Annual School Census shows that the percentage of girls enrolled in primary schools has improved at the state level. It also showed that it increased in the three pilot areas: Miga, from 36 per cent to 40 per cent; Roni, from 43 to 47 per cent and Birniwa, from 44 per cent to 49 per cent, respectively.
Recently, it was reported that more girls between 6 and 11 years of age enrolled in schools. Also, the UBEC report has it that the enrolment rate of girls in primary school in Jigawa State has been on the rise. When Governor Badaru Abubakar signed the Child Rights Bill into law on December 22, 2021, it was made clear that the state would prioritise access to education for the girl-child.
It is worthy of note that under a laudable program titled; Female Teachers Development Scheme (FTDS), the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, is preparing female teachers to cater to the future educational needs of the state. SS I students who are interested in teaching, sit for an examination in which the best 50 are selected for the program. Ten girls’ boarding schools across the state are now part of this program, which commenced six years ago.
The more we boost girls’ education in Jigawa, the more Suwaibas we produce as teachers as well as in other disciplines of human undertakings.
Abdu Abdullahi wrote this piece from Jigawa and can be reached at; [email protected]
