The United Nation Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has observed that Girls Education is beyond getting them to school, saying poor girls born in Northern Nigeria face doubting challenges in their lives.
This was disclosed on Wednesday during a media dialogue on Girls Education Project (GEP3) organised by UNICEF in collaboration with Sokoto state Universal Basic Education Board for Zamfara and Sokoto journalists held in Sokoto.
The GEP3 project is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the UK and implemented by the UNICEF in collaboration with the governments of the six States that comprises Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto and Zamfara.
In a good will message, the UNICEF Sokoto chief of field office, Maryam Darwash said the aimed of the GEP3 was to Improve learning and transitions for adolescent girls as well as providing life skills through curricular and extra curricular activities.
She disclosed that the benefits gained from the phase 3 GEP need sustainability strategy document which was developed by both Sokoto and Zamfara states in June 2021 and was updated in July 2022.
“We can guarantee that those young girls and boys who have been provided with the opportunity to enjoy their right to education in Sokoto and Zamfara states, will continue to thrive and learn and become responsible and active citizens able to protect and support safety and peace in their communities”.
Earlier, UNICEF education manager Sokoto field office, Miriam Mereso said the UNICEF’s support helped greatly in the increase of enrollment of pupils in schools, especially girls child within Sokoto and Zamfara state.
“Educating a girl changes her destiny as well as those of her future children, she can contribute to economic life of her community.
“Girls Education has been posited as vaccine against HIV/AIDs”.
According to her there is greater awareness now more than ever before in the enrollment and retention of girls child in primary and secondary school.
In his remarks, the executive chairman, Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board, Altine Shehu Kajiji reiterated the determination of the Board to mobilize for the enrollment of more females in schools.
He said SUBEB in partnership with UNICEF has trained and re-trained primary school teachers for better output.
Kajiji further revealed that Quranic Schools were also incorporated into the programme of educating girls child.
