Shettima: Why Nigeria must prioritise girl child education

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Vice President Kashim Shettima has underscored the critical need to prioritise girl child education in Nigeria.

In a statement from his spokesperson, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima called for a concerted, multisectoral approach to overcoming gender-based barriers to quality education.

He emphasised that all levels of government, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organizations (CSOs), and partners in the donor community must unite to ensure that every Nigerian child, regardless of gender or geography, has access to quality education.

Speaking at the International Conference on Girl Child Education in Nigeria, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Shettima noted that the dignity of the girl child is a defining feature of every civilization.

Represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Hadejia, the Vice President asserted that any reforms necessary to create a safe environment for educating the girl child must be initiated within our communities.

“Policymaking involves all of us, and we must engage local leaders, traditional rulers, and religious figures to understand the implications of failing to educate the future of this nation. The most powerful tool we can offer the girl child is education.

“We must enhance educational programmes that inform girls and women about their rights and the risks they face if denied the opportunity to make informed choices, especially in matters of health.”

VP Shettima urged government partners within the donor community, including the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and other multilateral institutions, to take decisive action that will create a lasting, generational impact.

“The dignity of the girl child defines every civilization, and today, we are bound by a duty higher than merely observing the challenges before us. We bear the responsibility of setting the tone for this nation, and there is no greater calling than to prioritise the education of the girl child and other at-risk children. This is a mirror from which we cannot afford to look away because the consequences are dire,” he said.

Presenting the statistics on out-of-school children in Nigeria, including findings from the latest Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), the Vice President cautioned that every child left abandoned on the streets represents a future liability for the nation that will ultimately need to be addressed.

“We must remember that the child who remains out of school today will be a threat to their peers in the classroom tomorrow. We cannot afford to turn away from this reality, and the need for creative and innovative solutions is now more pressing than ever,” he added.

Shettima acknowledged that while the issue of girl-child education is a concern for every nation, her vulnerability in this region is particularly pronounced.

“Her education is more than a moral obligation; it is the stabilising force of our economic and social order. For every additional year, a girl remains in school, her future earning potential increases, infant mortality rates decrease, and poverty levels in communities fall.

“We see this reflected in the Gender Parity Index, which shows that girls have almost caught up with boys at the primary school level, with a ratio of 0.99, and even surpass boys at the secondary level, with a ratio of 1.08. However, these gains are at risk unless we intensify our interventions to reach every girl, particularly in areas where barriers remain strongest.”

The Vice President assured that the National Economic Council (NEC), which he chairs, is committed to securing a brighter future for the girl child.

“Alongside health, nutrition, and employability in a rapidly changing world, our Human Capital Development Programme is a radical response to the generational gaps in our education sector.

“We have set the ambitious goal of achieving a 0.6 score on the World Bank’s Human Capital Index, and we understand that the road to this future involves increasing years of schooling, improving the quality of education, and ensuring that no child—especially no girl child—is left vulnerable or out of school.”

VP Shettima expressed regret that the latest data highlights the pressing need to tackle the issue, especially in northern Nigeria. He emphasised that states in the North West and North East have the highest rates of out-of-school children.

“We cannot allow ourselves to be held hostage by these frightening numbers. Now is the time to treat them as an emergency, and the only way forward is through state-specific action plans that address the unique needs and barriers in each region,” he added.