The Pakistani founder of the Malala Fund and girls’ education activist, Malala Yousafza, on Tuesday met behind closed doors with the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
She had earlier met with the 82 Chibok girls who were released after a successful negotiation with the Boko Haram sect by the Federal Government.
At the end of the session, Yousafza told State House correspondents that she seized the opportunity of the meeting which she described as a good one to call for the declaration of a state of emergency in the nation’s education sector.
She said she also called for the implementation of the Child Rights Act in all states of the federation.
Yousafza said, “It was a very good meeting. I had very good response. I highlighted a few issues. The first was to ask the government to declare a state of emergency in the nations education sector because the education of the Nigerian girls and boys is really important.
“The Federal Government, state governments and local governments should all be united for this. Secondly, the spending should be made public and thirdly, the Child Rights Act should be implemented in all states.
“I was really happy to hear positive response from the Acting President that they are happy with the suggestion of implementing emergency in education and that they are happy to work more on education and that they are united.
“I am happy to hear positive responses from the ministers as well that they are ensuring that education is prioritised for every girl and in every boy and education in Nigeria is given priority.”
Yousafza said she had earlier met with released Chibok girls and that she was happy at what the minister was doing to support them.
She said she was excited to see the girls going back to their homes and to their families and continuing their education.
She expressed the hope that the remaining girls still in the captivity of Boko Haram would be released.
The youngest Nobel laureate led a delegation of seven to the meeting.
She was accompanied by his father and other girl rights activists.
The last time she visited Nigeria was in 2014 shortly after members of the Boko Haram sect abducted the Chibok girls.
She seized the opportunity of the visit to call on former President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure the release of the abducted girls.
