Kano 2024 Education Summit Aims to Ensure the Completion of girls’ Education
By Khadija Aliyu
The Adolescent Health and Information Projects (AHIP), has organized an education summit, aimed at strengthening the retention and completion of girl’s education.
In her welcome address, the Director of Adolescent Health and Information Projects (AHIP), Hajiya Mairo Bello identified education as the first foundation of life, saying that they are committed to promoting, Girl Child Education not only in Kano state but the entire Northern Nigeria.
She said other thematic areas of AHIP include youth Development programs, Women Empowerment initiatives, Health promotions, life skills training, Community Mobilization and Networking and Gender and Social inclusions among others initiatives.
“Our Adolescent girls must retain and complete their education for Nigeria’s brighter future and economic prosperity.”
She noted that the promotion of education is the moral responsibility of all, adding that, her NGO is ready to partner with the Kano state government and other partners to advance the course of girl child education.
Kano state Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf maintained that his administration has revitalized and fortified the education sector, with particular emphasis on empowering and retaining girls in the school system towards completion.
Governor Yusuf represented by the Commissioner of Education Alhaji Umar Haruna Doguwa said the government is collaborating with European Union EU and other development partners to improve education in the state.
He noted that, to improve better system, the government would also constitute the Kano State Council on Education and Kano State Education Data Bank for effective monitoring.
Recognizing transportation barriers, Governor Yusuf pointed out that, he reintroduced dedicated 57 shuttle buses for female students in the state to ease transport.
“Within the 8 metropolitan Local Government Areas. We are currently looking at the Ministry of Education’s proposal of expanding the shuttle bus service coverage to reach remote and underserved areas.”
Speaking on lack of school attendance by students, the governor explained that, the government will collaborate with the Hisbah paramilitary to monitor students who move about the streets during school hours and take action against them.
Presenting findings from research on girls’ education in Kano, Professor Ismail Mohammed Zango said, the school attendance completion ratio in Kano indicates that boys seem to complete their junior and senior secondary Schools more than girls.
He stressed the need to bridge the gap, identifying the critical roles of parents in achieving Girls’ retention and completion of school.
Zango also identified poverty as a great factor in school retention and completion of girls’ Education.
The Kano Education Summit 2024 themed: towards strengthening retention and completion of girls’ education, organized by AHIP with support from Christian Aid, witnessed a large turnout of students, teachers, top government functionaries, development partners, CSOs, media and the public.
