Enhancing the education of the girl-child

As the world marks the International Day of the Girl-Child, Nigeria’s record on a critical half of its young population is disappointing. Every October 11, the world raises awareness about gender inequality, the right to education, protection from violence and child marriage, and the overall empowerment of girls. On these scores, Nigeria’s performance is dismal.

Beyond the lofty speeches and colourful ceremonies, the lot of the Nigerian girl-child has remained unchanged. She still battles poverty, discrimination and child marriage. She is still subjected to sexual violence and is excluded from school. The girl-child still faces unequal opportunities simply because she was born female.

Nigeria cannot hope to attain sustainable development while millions of its girls are denied education, safety and the opportunity to fulfil their potential. The girl-child is not an afterthought.

The Constitution and conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory guarantee equality before the law. They affirm that every child, irrespective of gender, deserves protection, education and dignity. Yet, countless Nigerian girls continue to suffer discrimination from birth. Their opinions are ignored, their dreams dismissed. That must change. The girl-child must be seen and heard. Her voice matters, most especially on issues that concern her.

Various estimates indicate that girls constitute the majority of Nigeria’s out-of-school children, though the actual number of the excluded children remains controversial. Between 18 million and 20 million is often quoted though government insists it is far less. However, organisations such as UNICEF Nigeria estimate that about 7.6 million girls are currently out of school at the primary and junior secondary levels.

Other estimates suggest that much higher numbers. Whatever the figure, millions of Nigerian girls are being denied education, the most powerful tool for escaping poverty. This is an intolerable waste of human potential.

Government should make education for every girl free up to Senior Secondary School (SS3). Extending free education through SS3 will significantly reduce dropout rates and delay early marriage. It will also equip girls with skills needed for productive adulthood.

Research consistently shows that educating girls has enormous benefits. Educated women tend to raise healthier children and they contribute enormously to national development. Every naira invested in girls’ education is naira well spent.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s intervention to expand access to free education for girls deserves recognition. Such initiatives demonstrate that political will can remove barriers that keep girls out of school. Other states should emulate and even surpass such efforts.

On the continent, Nigeria lags behind Ghana, Rwanda, and South Africa in girl-child education metrics. Multiple international benchmarks, including female literacy rates and educational attainment parity, demonstrate that Nigeria lags behind these three nations in female education outcomes. In general female literacy rates of girls aged 15 and above, Nigeria falls far short. South Africa is ahead at 94 per cent, Rwanda 81 per cent, Ghana 76.5 per cent. Nigeria sits miserably at 59.3 per cent.

Child marriage remains one of Nigeria’s greatest human rights failures. UNICEF describes it as a violation of children’s rights. It notes that the practice interrupts education, exposes girls to early pregnancy, increases health risks and traps families in perpetual poverty across generations.

The girl-child is given away in marriage in many parts of the country, especially in northern communities. Consequently, Nigeria has one of the largest populations of child brides in the world. About one in three young Nigerian women were married before the age of 18, according to the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS).

This practice has no place in a modern democracy. It must stop. Children should be allowed to study, not begin to learn how to be women and manage homes.

Nigeria’s patriarchal society must yield to common sense in an evolving world. The girl-child should cease to be a property to be acquired by any man with money and influence.

Government must enact and enforce laws prohibiting child marriage in every state of the federation. States that are yet to fully domesticate and implement the Child Rights Act should do so without delay. There should be no cultural, religious or political excuses for sacrificing the future of children.

The law must also hold accountable those who marry children. Men who knowingly marry underage girls should face prosecution and appropriate punishment. Child marriage should no longer be treated simply as a private family affair.

Every adolescent girl should have access to quality healthcare, nutrition and reproductive health information. Too many girls die from preventable complications of early pregnancy, while others endure abuse in silence because support systems are weak or inaccessible.

Nigeria also needs a cultural reawakening. Families must stop valuing sons above daughters. Communities must reject harmful practices that deny girls education and opportunity. Religious and traditional leaders should become champions of girls’ rights rather than defenders of customs that perpetuate inequality.

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