…urges World Bank to extend AGILE project to 36 states, FCT
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary), Senator Lawal Adamu Usman has charged religious and traditional leaders in the country to champion the adequate education and empowerment of the girl-child in their respective communities.
Senator Usman also appealed to the World Bank to expand its Adolescents Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project to cover the entire 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the interest of the girl-child all over Nigeria.
He further disclosed that his committee has been working assiduously on the amendment of the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill now at the third reading stage before the Senate as well as the Bill for an Act to amend the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, Cap N4 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2024 and for other Related Matters 2024, which is being sponsored by himself and has passed the second reading stage, which he stressed, “When finally passed into law, will revolutionise and revitalise basic education, including, of course, girl-child education in Nigeria.”
The lawmaker, popularly called Senator LA by his teeming supporters in his Kaduna Central Senatorial District constituency, stated these on Tuesday in Abuja in his Goodwill Message to the National Conference on Girl-Child Education and Empowerment with Traditional and Religious Leaders in Nigeria with the theme: “Effective Partnerships on Girls Education, Out of School Children Education for National Development.”
He emphasised that without the support of the religious and traditional leaders in the country, the level of education the girl-child could attain in life “will remain a mirage.”
According to the Senate Committee Chairman on Education (Basic and Secondary), religious and traditional leaders throughout the country have crucial roles to play in raising the standard of the education of the girl-child as well as empowering them.
He stated that the religious and traditional leaders could assist the process of girl-child education and empowerment by creating a supportive atmosphere for her to be adequately educated and through this, they could also challenge gender inequality plaguing our various communities.
Senator Usman stressed the importance and essence of girl-child education and empowerment for the development of the Nigerian society, adding that the process would help the girl-child to achieve her full potential needed to enable her to contribute meaningfully to her community and the country.
He noted that girl-child education and empowerment equip girls with the skills and knowledge required to succeed in whichever areas of life they may find themselves in future.
He said, “Our religious and traditional leaders can help in the creation of a supportive environment for the girl-child to effectively learn and thrive. They are in the best position to assist in effectively challenging gender inequality and eliminate barriers to education.
“Our religious and traditional leaders have the natural capabilities to influence families, communities and decision-makers so much so that they can assist in effecting change in attitudes and social norms.
“Therefore, as religious and traditional leaders, they can use their influence to encourage the girl-child to complete her secondary education before considering marriage. They can also take active part in the design and implementation of various programmes to support the girl-child to attain an enviable lifestyle. They can collaborate with other stakeholders to address gender-based barriers.
“Furthermore, our religious and traditional leaders have the intrinsic capacity to employ culturally sensitive approaches to enhance gender outcomes. By making it compulsory for the girl-child to, at least, complete her secondary education before marriage, our religious and traditional leaders can provide a conducive and supportive atmosphere for the girl-child to thrive and flourish.”
The Senate Committee Chairman, therefore, challenged religious and traditional leaders attending the National Conference and their counterparts all over Nigeria to resolve to embark on changing the mindsets of their followers and subjects regarding the importance of girl-child education and empowerment, adding, “They can help our society to unlock the challenges and eliminate barriers to the education of the girl-child.”
He lamented that out of the 7.6million out-of-school children estimated by UNESCO to be in Nigeria, 3.9million of them who are girls are at the primary and junior secondary levels, saying, “Infact, more than 50% of girls in our country are not attending school at the basic education level. Regrettably, about one million girls drop out between the first and last year of primary school, and 0.6 million between primary 6 and JSS1.
“Girls are said to account for 38% of Nigeria’s out-of-school children. Their education is being hindered by major barriers such as child marriage, poverty and gender discrimination. All these prevent the girl-child from learning and completing her education.”
Senator Usman further stated that significant progress could only be made in the education and empowerment of the girl-child through partnership, coordination, identifying and working closely with key community stakeholders like the religious and traditional leaders across the country, who he said must be deeply involved in the entire process.
He noted that they could play crucial roles in reshaping attitudes, social and cultural norms as well as exert a lot of influence on community behaviour “with the objective of promoting the girl-child’s access to quality education and retention in school.”
The lawmaker added, “It’s a known fact that our religious and traditional leaders engage and influence families, communities, lawmakers and decision-makers in our society. They also have the powers and influence to put in check certain traditions and norms that aid gender inequality; just as they also possess the power and influence to assist in unlocking the challenges and eliminating hurdles to girl-child and women’s education through the involvement of other major decision-makers.
“Therefore, our religious and traditional leaders can, like their counterparts in some other African climes, become champions of girl-child’s right to education. They can determine to prevent child marriages in their respective domains by demonstrating serious commitment to girls and women’s education and empowerment.
“They can collaborate with parents, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), teachers and other stakeholders to save the girl-child from early marriage and assist them to go back to school. As custodians of our traditions, cultures and values, our religious and traditional leaders have the responsibility of determining what is good for their respective societies, including children, especially the opportunity to get them educated and empowered.”
The National Conference hosted by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who delivered the Keynote Address on the occasion, was also attended by the sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III; Emir of Argungu, Samaila Muhammad Mera; Oba Tajudeen Jimoh from Ekiti State, religious leaders and other stakeholders from across the country.
Below is the full text of Senator Usman’s speech:
A SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE CHAIRMAN, SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (BASIC AND SECONDARY), SENATOR LAWAL ADAMU USMAN AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GIRL-CHILD EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT WITH TRADITIONAL AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN NIGERIA, HELD AT THE FRASER SUITES, CENTRAL AREA, ABUJA ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2025 AT 10:00AM.
Protocol
The Chief host of this National Conference, who is also the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa,
Representatives of the World Bank,
Your royal majesties present,
The religious leaders here present,
Other stakeholders
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen,
All other protocols duly observed,
It is my greatest pleasure to be part of this August National Conference on Girl-child Education and Empowerment in Nigeria and the role of traditional and religious leaders.
It is incontestable that religious and traditional leaders in Nigeria have crucial roles to play in raising the standard of the education of the girl-child and empowering them. They can assist the process by creating a supportive atmosphere for girl-child education to thrive. In achieving this, they can also challenge gender inequality.
But before I go further, let me acknowledge the commendable efforts of the World Bank in funding the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project, which is the largest programme on girl-child education in Nigeria covering 18 states. The World Bank, I learnt, has committed a whopping US$1.2bn to the AGILE project in Nigeria! But like Oliver Twist, I’ll plead with the World Bank to extend the project to cover the entire 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for more effectiveness and greater impact.
Girl-child education and empowerment are essential for the development of our society. They help the girl-child to achieve her full potential and also contribute meaningfully to her community in particular and the country at large.
Girl-child education and empowerment equip girls with the skills and knowledge required to succeed in life in whatever endeavour they may find themselves in future.
But without the support of our religious and traditional leaders, the level of education the girl-child can attain will remain a mirage.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, what I am saying is that our religious and traditional leaders can help in the creation of a supportive environment for the girl-child to effectively learn and thrive. They are in the best position to assist in effectively challenging gender inequality and eliminate barriers to education.
Our religious and traditional leaders have the natural capabilities to influence families, communities and decision-makers so much so that they can assist in effecting change in attitudes and social norms.
Therefore, as religious and traditional leaders, they can use their influence to encourage the girl-child to complete her secondary education before considering marriage. They can also take active part in the design and implementation of various programmes to support the girl-child to attain an enviable lifestyle. They can collaborate with other stakeholders to address gender-based barriers.
Furthermore, our religious and traditional leaders have the intrinsic capacity to employ culturally sensitive approaches to enhance gender outcomes. By making it compulsory for the girl-child to, at least, complete her secondary education before marriage, our religious and traditional leaders can provide a conducive and supportive atmosphere for the girl-child to thrive and flourish.
Today, our religious and traditional leaders can commit to changing the mindsets of their followers and subjects regarding girl-child education and empowerment. Of course, they can help our society to unlock the challenges and eliminate barriers to the education of the girl-child.
Here is a challenge to our religious leaders and royal fathers: girls and adolescents’ access, retention and completion in schools remain serious issues of concern in our society and it behoves them to effectively tackle these for the overall benefit of their respective communities and the Nigerian nation at large.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, according to UNESCO, about 244 million children and youth between the ages of 6 and 18 globally were out of school in 2021; 118.5 million of which were girls and 125.5 million boys. I’m sure the figures will be far higher now.
Sadly, about 7.6million of these out-of-school children are today in Nigeria. 3.9 million of them who are girls are at the primary and 3.7 million others are at the junior secondary level. Infact, more than 50% of girls in our country are not attending school at the basic education level. Regrettably, about one million girls drop out between the first and last year of primary school, and 0.6 million between primary 6 and JSS1.
Girls are said to account for 38% of Nigeria’s out-of-school children. Their education is being hindered by major barriers such as child marriage, poverty and gender discrimination. All these prevent the girl-child from learning and completing her education.
With the above scenario, how do we now achieve the aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals to close the gender gaps in education? Clearly, it is through partnership, coordination, identifying and working closely with key community stakeholders such as our religious and traditional leaders that significant progress can be made in the education and empowerment of the girl-child.
But if significant progress must be made in this regard, our religious and traditional leaders must be deeply involved in the empowerment of girls and women through education.
They, of course, can play crucial roles in reshaping attitudes, social and cultural norms, as well as exert a lot of influence on community behaviour with the objective of promoting the girl-child’s access to quality education and retention in school.
It’s a known fact that our religious and traditional leaders engage and influence families, communities, lawmakers and decision-makers in our society. They also have the powers and influence to put in check certain traditions and norms that aid gender inequality; just as they also possess the power and influence to assist in unlocking the challenges and eliminating hurdles to girl-child and women’s education through the involvement of other major decision-makers.
Therefore, our religious and traditional leaders can, like their counterparts in some other African climes, become champions of girl-child’s right to education. They can determine to prevent child marriages in their respective domains by demonstrating serious commitment to girls and women’s education and empowerment.
They can collaborate with parents, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), teachers and other stakeholders to save the girl-child from early marriage and assist them to go back to school. As custodians of our traditions, cultures and values, our religious and traditional leaders have the responsibility of determining what is good for their respective societies, including children, especially the opportunity to get them educated and empowered.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, our religious and traditional leaders should therefore encourage their respective communities to attach importance to educating and empowering the girl-child. Achieving a better and prosperous future without adequately educating and empowering our girls, who are part of the female gender that constitutes a very large chunk of our population, will remain a difficult task if our religious and traditional leaders are not adequately involved. Remember, our religious teachings highlight that the search for knowledge is of great importance for both female and male.
The gathering of our religious and traditional leaders here today for this constructive national dialogue will, no doubt, contribute greatly to finding sustainable solutions to the access required by the girl-child to education and completing school, as well as chart a new route to gender equality and empowerment.
This national conference is therefore an opportunity for our religious and traditional leaders to reiterate their commitment to upholding girls and adolescents’ right to access education and even attain the highest level. They must redefine their roles and responsibilities to promote the acceleration of the girl-child’s access to education and their retention within the system.
This national conference will also afford our religious and traditional leaders the opportunity to share best practices on the girl-child and women’s education and empowerment with a view to coming up with innovative approaches and cultural transformation to increase the retention of girls at all levels of education.
Our religious and traditional leaders are also challenged to embark on advocacy to advance the girl-child and women’s education and empowerment throughout Nigeria.
Therefore, our religious and traditional leaders should position themselves as key stakeholders whose influence should be used to promote and demonstrate respect for the right to education and empowerment for all children, especially girls and women.
On our part at the National Assembly, the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary), which I, by the grace of Almighty Allah, chair, I can assure you, has done a quantum of work on the Basic Education (Amendment) Bill now at the third reading stage before the Senate. Only last December 11 at the Senate plenary, the Bill for an Act to amend the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, Cap N4, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2024 and for other Related Matters 2024, sponsored by my humble self, passed a Second Reading. The Bill was then referred to my committee, the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary). This bill, when finally passed into law, will revolutionise and revitalise basic education, including, of course, girl-child education in Nigeria. This law will definitely have salutary effects on girl-child education and empowerment in Nigeria.
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the valuable interventions and collaboration of our religious and traditional leaders with the government, CSOs, teachers, mothers’ groups and other relevant stakeholders will go a long way in saving the girl-child from becoming a victim of dangerous sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS and others, and also enable many of them who are currently out of school, to return to the four walls of the classrooms to complete their education and live a better life afterwards.
Therefore, our religious and traditional leaders remain the ideal avenue to effectively advocate and promote girl-child education and empowerment in Nigeria. All our children, irrespective of gender and without any form of discrimination, have the natural and inalienable right to learn and live a better life. It is therefore gratifying that our religious and traditional leaders are being considered and involved as major stakeholders in this campaign to promote and defend the right of the girl-child to qualitative education and empowerment.
At this juncture, Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary), I wish this National Conference a successful and fruitful deliberation.
Thank you all and God bless.
Senator Lawal Adamu Usman,
Chairman, Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary)