Bauchi State education stakeholders have renewed calls for greater investment in girl-child education, stressing that empowering girls is key to securing the state’s future.
Speaking at the forum, the Young Leaders Network’s Programme Manager for Education, Charity Solomon, said the initiative was designed to drive community-led action.
“The Strengthening Advocacy for Girls’ Education Project, a community-driven initiative, is focused on increasing access to quality education for girls.
We will continue to host such forums in the aforementioned LGAs, collaborating with stakeholders, especially the Ministry of Education, to address persistent challenges. With continued collaboration, the hope is that these efforts will create lasting change and help more girls in Bauchi State stay in school and reach their full potential,” she said.
Leader of the Civil Society Organisations working on education in Bauchi, Nicholas Afeso, called for flexibility in school schedules.
“Learning sessions should be scheduled in a way that does not clash with hawking or farming times. Education and livelihood activities can coexist,” he said.
Education Secretary for Tafawa Balewa LGA, Bala Kubi, stressed the long-term benefits of educating girls.
“An educated mother raises an educated child. We must invest in our girls to invest in our future,” he noted, adding that the challenges, though real, can be resolved through joint action.
The forum identified a range of barriers, including poor access to schools, cultural and religious norms, low parental awareness, child labour, forced marriage, and inadequate sanitation facilities in schools. Participants committed to coordinated efforts to address these issues and create a more enabling environment for girls’ education.
