Mixed feelings over Kaduna’s free education for girls
Nigeria is said to have 10.5 million out-of-school children, the world’s highest number, out of which 60 per cent are in the northern region, with about 60 per cent girls.
According to a UNICEF report, many of the girls who enroll in school drop out early due to low perception of the value of education for girls and early marriage.
Worried by the high number of out of school girls in north, Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufa’i last week declared free education for all female students in public secondary schools across the state.
This is an extension of the free basic education enjoyed by pupils in public primary schools in the state.
The essence of free education for girls, according to the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Malam Ja’afaru Sani, was to get rid of hindrances to girl-child education in the state.
The role of women in nation building, he said, cannot be over-emphasised hence the need to educate them and give them the opportunity to explore their potentials. He stated that the ministry has sent directive to all zonal offices and secondary schools to that effect for implementation.
He said: “Before, only primary school children were enjoying free education in the state but the governor has decided to include girls in the secondary school so that they can also benefit.”
However, the development has been greeted with mixed feelings by stakeholders, some of who have described the free education policy as a welcome development as it would give more girls the opportunity to acquire education. Others, however expressed fear that it may not make much difference so long as awareness is not raised about the importance of girls’ education among rural parents.
The Executive Director of Centre for Learning and Education Development Advocacy Africa (CLEDA Africa), Daniels Akpan, while hailing the state government for the free education policy, said education plays a vital role in the development of society and also aids in alleviating poverty.
She described the free education for secondary school girls in Kaduna as a move to the achievement of SDG 4, which seeks to ensure that by 2030, all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcome. “It is a good step in the right direction,” she added.
According to Akpan, the new policy will increase enrolment of girls in school, adding that it will afford parents who cannot pay fees, the opportunity to educate their female children at no cost as against the practice of marrying them off at young age.
“Declaring free education for girls means freeing poor parents from the burden of having to send their girls to schools from their pockets,” the executive director said.
Statistics, she also said, have shown that educated women tend to grow children who will become meaningful in life because of their ability to transfer good lessons, knowledge and morals to the younger ones.
With education comes a reduction in maternal mortality rate, she further said. “So, it makes us grow as a nation on all levels as it affects the ability to generate money. It will also help to end the cycle of poverty. So, educating the girl child brings more gain to the family, society, state and country at large. It will also enhance women representation in the political affairs of the nation,” she said.
A parent, Hajiya Maryam Ibrahim, who also applauded the policy urged parents to take advantage of the opportunity to educate their children.
To her, the poor enrolment of girls in school is basically not about the fee or lack of will of the children but about their parents who carry the mindset that education for girls is less important but place high premium on marrying them off at very young ages.
“Many rural parents are more interested in marrying off their girls at young age, when they should be in school, while others prefer to allow them to hawk to generate income for the home. All of these are wrong practices that should be stopped,” she said.
Maryam said there is need to create more awareness and change the mindset of some parents who in spite of the free education policy would not send their children to school.
Similarly, an educationist in Kaduna, Hajiya Rabi Saulawa, said the new policy was good, but was quick to note that the problem of lack of education in the North is more of culture and less of inability of parents to afford the education.
“It is our culture to marry out our children early so, even though the policy is very good, I don’t think it will make a lot of difference because school fees in Kaduna before now were not so high that parents cannot afford, yet they didn’t send their wards to school. I just hope they will take advantage of this free policy and allow their children be educated,” she said.
While commending Governor el-Rufai, she further advocated for free tertiary education for girls since that level of education is considered more expensive. That, she said, will avail the girls the opportunity of acquiring higher education.
Many students interviewed seemed ignorant of the new policy but expressed happiness as the gesture will bring a lot of relief to their parents and guardians who are struggling to sponsor their education.
Joy Musa, a SSS student in one of the public secondary schools said if implemented, the policy will encourage many of her friends in the village whose parents cannot afford to pay school fees to go to school and choose a career path in life.