By Musa Muhammad Bashir
U13MM1073
It is very glaring that investment on a girl’s education benefits not only her, but also her children, husband, her entire community and the nation at large.
The problem of girl child education in Nigeria has been a long standing issue especially in the northern part of the country where the problem is prevalent and attributed to so many factors ranging from socio-cultural, religious misconceptions, poverty etc.
Statistics from the Federal office of statistics in 2004 shows that, literate women constituted only 20% from the North -West, 20% North- East, and 45% from the North Central. This indicates the levels of backwardness of women as compared to men in Northern Nigeria.
Again in 2006, the National School Census reported that the number of children out of school in Northern Nigeria is particularly high and the proportion of girls to boys in school ranges from 1 girl to 2 boys and even 1 girl to 3 boys in some states.
Predominant of people in the Northern Nigeria are Muslims; therefore, it is the responsibilities of the religious leaders to clear the misconception that Islam bars women from acquiring education.
Islam gives equal rights to children. These rights include, among others, the right to disciplined and responsible mothers; right to good names; rights to have proper upbringing and education; rights to have welfare and rights to equal treatment.
Children regardless of their gender need special care and consistent guidance so that they grow as sound and disciplined citizens for the positive development of this country. So, this is a goal that cannot be achieved if the mother herself is not educated.
Governments at all levels should work hard towards achieving the 1984 Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that every person has a right to education. Also, the 1990 World Conference on Education which states that every person shall be able to benefit from educational opportunities designed to meet their basic learning needs.
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