Bauchi should rethink same-gender schooling policy

The policy of same-gender schooling for senior secondary school students created by the immediate past Commissioner for Education of Bauchi State, Dr Aliyu Tilde, that led to introduction of girls-only and boys-only schools across the state appear to be increasing number of drop-out students and out-of-school children in the state.

When some people kicked against the policy then, Dr Aliyu Tilde said, “The idea of creating this new policy was to grapple with moral decadence, which has become prevalent among students of secondary schools across the state. The introduction of girls-only schools was meant to promote girl-child education in the state.”

Besides, during his visit to the Emir of Bauchi, Rilwanu Suleman Adamu, Tilde while explaining to him the reasons behind introducing girls-only and boys-only schools across the state, said “Parents are marrying off their daughters after the junior secondary school level because they are not comfortable with the mixed-sex cohabitation in classes at the senior secondary level.”

In my humble opinion, instead of fostering girl-child education, I realised that this new policy is leading to drop out both female and male students across the nook and crannies of the state, owing to how they have to trek long distances to attend their new schools.

As a concerned citizen of Bauchi State who is always looking forward to seeing that girl-child education is promoted and strengthened in the state; I strongly call on our governor to bring back the old policy of mixed-gender schooling for senior secondary schools across the state as it is an environment that both teachers and male students are accustomed to and promotes gender parity.