Why most out of school children are girls — Aisha Bagudu

Wife of Kebbi State Governor, Aisha Atiku Bagudu, has identified cultural believes and inadequate sensitisation as the major reasons why about 60 per cent of Nigeria’s out of school children are girls.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary of the Less Privileged Almajiri’s Initiative (MALLPAI) held in Abuja at the weekend, Bagudu said there was an urgent need for parents to allow female children to go to school rather than subjected to hawking or domestic activities.

She said the disturbing development of out of school children in Nigeria led to the establishment of the MALLPAI, a foundation she set up ten years ago.

The Governor’s wife said the major drive of the foundation has been in the area of empowering less privileged children especially in societies in the northern part of the country and enhancing illiteracy among unskilled women as well as the girl child.

“In Kebbi State particularly, the foundation has been able to provide basic amenities to 44 Fulani communities and conducted skills acquisition programmes in 4 emirates in the state,” she said.

She added that MALLPAI has also played a vital role in improving the quality of education of women and children, especially the Almajiri’s and the girl child who have remained a major challenge to northern Nigeria as a result of the high number of boys and girls who are out of school.

The former first lady of Malawi, Madam Calista Mutharika said the giant strides of the foundation in the last decade aided the improvement in mobilizing pupils for primary education especially in northern Nigeria.

“It will go a long way in actualizing the sustainable developing goals of ending poverty and improving economic prosperity of Nigeria,” she noted.