Kaduna: Education is a catalyst for social, economic, and national development. To achieve their potential, governments at all levels are encouraged to invest in the sector. Investment in education has the potential to enhance access to quality teaching and learning processes for upcoming generations and boost enrollment. Such investment should not only be in the form of infrastructure but also instructional materials and capacity building for teaching and non-teaching staff. This stimulates a safe environment and provides equal opportunities for girls and boys to be empowered and educated, equipping them with the necessary skills to realize their full potential and contribute to societal development.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, some cultural and societal norms in Nigeria prioritize the education of boys over girls. This has resulted in gender disparities in educational attainment as girls face other barriers to accessing and completing their education. UNICEF reports that 7.6 million girls are out
of school in Nigeria, with 3.9 million at the primary level and 3.7 million at the junior secondary level. UNICEF further highlights that 48 percent of out-of-school girls are in the northwest and northeast. A survey by the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics in 2020 shows that 31.1 percent of children within the primary school age are out of school, and 31.9 percent of children within the junior secondary school age are out of school in the state. The survey also revealed that the distribution of out-of-school cases in the state consists of 63.7 percent male and 36.3 percent female.
Over the years, the Kaduna state government has increased budgetary allocation to the education sector to reinvigorate basic and post-basic levels to enhance access to free and quality education for all. For instance, the state government earmarked N26.2 billion for education in the 2024 approved budget. The sum of N12.5 billion was allocated to the Ministry of Education; N2.7 billion to the State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB)
, while the remaining N11 billion was shared among the state-owned tertiary institutions, schools quality assurance authority, and library board. The state also developed a 10-year Education Sector Plan (ESP) named Kaduna State 2019 – 2029 Education Sector Strategic Plan. This comprehensive and strategic framework, developed with the support of development partners, guides the planning, implementation, and evaluation of education policies and programs.
UNICEF states that to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4, which is inclusive and equitable quality education for all, a Gender-responsive Education Sector Planning (GRESP) is essential. GRESP is a holistic approach to advancing gender equality in and through education, including learning environments, teacher education and practice, curriculum, and administration, among others. To advance gender equality in education, education systems need to be gender-responsive by design, which includes funding for girl child education. At the Kaduna State Ministry of E
ducation, an exclusive department for gender, now termed female education, was created to tackle issues related to girl child education. Each year, the department is funded to execute gender-related programs such as second chance education, sensitization on gender-based violence, creation of water and sanitation facilities in schools, among others.
The Director of Planning in the ministry, Salisu Baba-Lawal, stated that the government prioritizes gender equality and social inclusion, hence a large sum of money has been allocated to achieve it. “We have provisions for gender in our annual budget which fund gender-related projects. In 2021, a sum of N7 million was allocated to gender, N4 million was budgeted for the year 2022, N5 million allocated in 2023, and in 2024, N12 million was allocated to female education,” he said. For many years, the gender department in the Kaduna State Ministry of Education has been conducting activities that address challenges for both girls. However, with the recent review in 20
24, which changed the department’s name to female education, it now prioritizes female education. The Deputy Director, Female Education, Hajiya Aishatu Muhammad, explained that the ministry had provided a second chance for girls who dropped out of school due to early marriage or pregnancy.
She highlighted that school uniforms, socks, and sandals were provided for the girls, while teachers were paid stipends for staying overtime as most classes were conducted in the afternoon. Another project of the ministry was to provide Water and Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools, with boys and girls having separate toilets. Abdullahi, who also serves as the AGILE focal person, mentioned that since the implementation of the project, the enrollment, retention, and completion of female students have increased.
Parents and experts have called for further improvements. Malama Hajara Abubakar, a widow and mother of four girls, shared her struggle in ensuring her children get an education. She emphasized the n
eed for government support in paying for final exams. Despite the government’s efforts to provide free and quality education and return out-of-school children to school, education experts suggest there is still room for improvement. Hadiza Umar, founder of Communication for Children and International Development, commended the efforts but called for the scaling up of gender-related programs and policies. Dr. Hassana Shuaibu, Senior Programme Officer at Ace Charity, emphasized the importance of transparency in the education budgeting process. She reiterated the need for a gender-responsive education sector plan and effective monitoring and evaluation of gender programs.