Ramatu Garba – Kano
The Kano State Government has reiterated its commitment to improve girl child education in the state.
The Governor of Kano, Alhaji Abba Kabir-Yusuf, said this at the opening of a 2-day 2024 Kano Summit on Tuesday.
The summit organised by Adolescent Health and Information Projects (AHIP) and funded by Christian Aid with the theme: ” Towards Strengthening Retention and Completion of Girls Education”.
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Kabir-Yusuf, represented by the State Commissioner for Education, Haruna Doguwa, said the government has provided learning materials and 57 shuttle buses to transport girls to school.
He said the government would establish council of education, review existing policy on education and established data bank among others to improve education in the state.
He called on the general public and relevant stakeholders to join hands and make Kano and Northern Nigeria progress educationally.
On her part, the Director of AHIP, Hajiya Mairo Bello, said the aim of the summit was to engage and bring out issues that are bedeviling girls education and profer solutions and way forward.
“AHIP has been mobilising communities and schools for building skills and resilence for young people and helping the communities” Bello said.
Also, the Chairman Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Dr Gwani Faruk-Umar, appealed to Kano State government to establish information technology secondary school in the state.
He also called on wealthy individuals to make their contributions towards the development of education as government should not be left alone.
Prof. Ismail Zango, in his presentation on “Exploring the Adolescent Girls Education in Kano” said poverty and early marriage are significant factor militating against retention and completion of girls education.
“The net completion rate of girls in Junior Secondary School (JSS) is 64 per cent while in Senoir Sevondqry School (SSS) is 49 per cent.
“Drop out of girls in JSS is 64 per cent and SSS 35.5 per cent.
“Economic, Social and cultural factor to empower the community is the way forward to address the challenges of education and retention,” Zango said.