NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA

Integrating gender response into Kaduna State education budget

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By Aisha Gambo, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Education is catalyst to social, economic and national development. To achieve their potential, governments at all levels are encouraged investments in the sector.

Investment in education has the potential enhance access to quality teaching and learning process for upcoming generations and boost enrolment.

Such investment should not only be in the form of infrastructure but also instructional materials and capacity building for teaching and non-teaching.

This stimulates a safe environment and provides equal opportunities for girls and boys to be empowered and educated.

These equip them with the necessary skills realise their full potential and contribute to societal development.

However, some cultural and societal norms in Nigeria prioritise the education of boys over girls.

This has resulted to gender disparities in education attainment as girls face other barrier to access and complete their education.

According to UNICEF 7.6 million girls are Out Of School in Nigeria while 3.9 million at the primary and 3.7 million at the junior secondary level.

UNICEF further said that 48 per cent of OOS girls are in the northwest and northeast.

A survey by Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics in 2020 shows that 31.1 per cent of children within the primary school age are out of school, adding that 31.9 per cent of children within the junior secondary school age are out of school in the state.

However, the survey also revealed that the distribution of out-of-school cases in the state consist of 63.7 per cent male and 36.3 per cent female.

Government interventions in enhancing gender responsive education. 

Over the years the Kaduna state government has increased budgetary allocation to education sector to reinvigorate basic and post basic levels to enhance access to free and quality for all.

For instance, the state government earmarked N26. 2 billion for Education in 2024 approved budget.

The sum of N12.5 billion was allocated to the ministry of education; N2.7 billion to State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB)while the remaining N11 billion was shared among the state-owned tertiary institutions; schools quality assurance authority and library board.

The state also developed a 10-year Education Sector Plan (ESP) named Kaduna State 2019 – 2029 Education Sector Strategic Plan.

It is a comprehensive and strategic framework developed with support of development partners to guide planning, implementation and evaluation of education policies and programmes.

UNICEF says achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 which is inclusive and equitable quality education for all, a Gender-responsive Education Sector Planning (GRESP) is essential.

This is because GRESP is a holistic approach to advancing gender equality in and through education, including learning and learning environments, teacher education and practice, curriculum and administration among others.

To advance gender equality in education, education systems need to be gender responsive by design which include funding of girl child education.

At the Kaduna State ministry of education, an exclusive department for gender ,now female education was created to tackle issues related to girl child education.

Each year, the department is funded to execute gender related programmes such as second chance education, sensitisation on gender based violence, creation of water and sanitation facilities in schools among others.

The director of planning in the ministry, Salisu Baba-Lawal, said that government prioritises gender equality and social inclusion as such has allocated a large sum of money to achieve it.

“We have provisions for gender in our annual budget which fund gender related projects.

” In 2021, a sum of N7 million was allocated to gender, N4 million was budgeted for the year 2022, N5 million allocated in 2023 and in 2024 , N12 million was allocated to female education”, he said.

Following the money

For many years, the gender department in the Kaduna State ministry of education has been conducting activities that address challenges of both girls.

But with the recent review in 2024, which changed the department’s name to female education it now prioritises female education.

However, that doesn’t stop it from conducting activities or projects that would benefit the male gender.

Though a detailed breakdown of the budget expenditures were not made available, the department explained the programmes and projects they conducted.

The Deputy Director, Female Education, Hajiya Aishatu Muhammad, that explained that the ministry had provided second chance for girls who dropped out of school due to early marriage or pregnancy.

She said that school uniforms, socks and sandals were provided for the girls while teachers were paid stipends for staying over time as most classes were done in the afternoon.

Another project the ministry was to provide Water and Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools with boys and girls having separate toilets to ease themselves during school hours.

Abdullahi said the ministry with the support from World Bank’s Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project built toilets and boreholes making the school environment conducive for the girl child.

“It may interest you to know that, the ministry of education in collaboration with AGILE, nominated amongst the existing staff we have in the school ,a  Gender Based Violence (GBV) focal person.

“We even have a Grievance Response Mechanism (GRM)   officer and we have a suggestion box in the schools to serve as a channel for reporting incidents”, she said.

Abdullahi, who doubles as the AGILE focal person, said that since the implementation of the project, the enrolment, retention and completion of female students has increased as they now feel more comfortable learning.

Parents, expert call for improvement

Malama Hajara Abubakar, a widow and a mother of four girls, recounts her struggle in ensuring her children get an education.

“Their father died when three of them were in junior secondary school; I had to do menial jobs to get them learning materials and pay other expenses the schools may request even though it’s a public school.

“But when they completed their SS 3 I couldn’t afford to pay for their exams, so I married them off; I wanted them to further their education but couldn’t.

“So when my youngest daughter completed SS3, I raised N10, 000 and pleaded with my neighbour who was a head a teacher in a private school to assist me and she did.

“Now that girl is working and taking care of me ‘, she said.

Abubakar says there are many parents like her who cannot afford to pay for their children’s final exams, and urged governments to look into the matter.

In spite government’s effort to provide free and quality education to children and return out of school children to schools to school, some education experts say there is still need for improvement.

Hadiza Umar, founder of communication for children and international development, while commending Kaduna State Government’s effort in address gender parity in schools said there was need for gender related programmes and policies to be scaled up.

She also said some of the programmes like the second chance education, sexual health reproductive awareness campaign among others should cut across all the schools in the state.

Umar says giving free education to girls but leaving them to pay for their senior secondary school exams would not achieve the desired results.

“Government should focus on paying for SSCE and JAMB because most of them can’t move forward and can’t get certificates to continue to even get a job.

“They cannot get admission and are unable a job that can help them generate some funds and further her education’’, she said.

While some experts advocate payment of Senior Secondary School exams fees, others demand effective monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of gender programmes.

Dr Hassana Shuaibu, Senior programme Officer, Ace Charity, says a breakdown on the expenditure of the female education budget should be available to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation.

She reiterated the need for an education sector plan that is gender responsive and the importance of funding of GRESP as well as transparency and accountability of the education budgeting. (NANFeatures)

**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria**

Chinese Envoy pledges to boost China-Nigeria education exchange

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By Sarafina Christopher

China’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Yu Dunhai, announced on Tuesday in Abuja that the Chinese government is committed to strengthening educational exchange programmes with Nigeria.

Dunhai made this statement during the commissioning of the Chinese Corner and the Award Ceremony for the 2024 Chinese Ambassador Drawing Competition at Government Secondary School, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja.

The ambassador emphasised that education is crucial for fostering economic development and social progress.

“Education is a fundamental driver of national development. By enhancing educational opportunities in Nigeria, we can work together to build a brighter future for both our nations.

“We believe that education is not just about acquiring knowledge; it is about building lasting friendships and partnerships,” he said.

Dunhai noted that China has established and equipped about 13 Chinese Corners in Nigeria with computers, Chinese books, and films to promote education and cultural diversity.

He also outlined several ongoing initiatives aimed at improving educational infrastructure and access in Nigeria.

“These initiatives include scholarship opportunities for Nigerian students to study in China, providing educational materials, and supporting the construction of schools in underserved areas,” he explained.

Dunhai also mentioned the potential for collaborative programs between Chinese and Nigerian institutions to facilitate knowledge exchange and technological advancements.

Dr Muhammed Ladan, Director/Secretary of the FCT Secondary Education Board, expressed gratitude for China’s unwavering support in improving the quality of education in Nigeria through valuable partnerships.

“The partnership with China in education is vital for our efforts to enhance the quality of education in Nigeria.

“The Corners serve as resource centers for Chinese education and as hubs for cultural exchange between Nigeria and China.

“We welcome these initiatives and look forward to working closely with the Chinese government,” Ladan stated.

Mrs Josephine Ogwu, the school principal, thanked the Embassy and Mr Martin Chen, Chairman of China Harbour Engineering Company Nigeria Limited, for establishing the Cultural Centre.

She noted that the center signifies China’s strong commitment to educational and cultural exchange.

Ogwu noted that the corner is important for facilitating educational and cultural interactions between Nigeria and China, broadening students’ global perspectives, and fostering tolerance to create global citizens.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that awards were presented to students from 12 Chinese corner schools for the drawing competition. (NAN)(www.nannews.com.ng)

Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Mark Longyen

S/Korea hands over 1,662 digital educational materials to Nigeria

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By Sarafina Christopher

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has delivered  1,662 educational digital contents to the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the donation was done through Kim Pankyu, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nigeria.

The materials were handed over on Monday in Abuja at a ceremony to mark the significant milestone in the Smart Education project, a collaborative initiative between KOICA and UBEC that began in 2021.

The digital contents, which are targeted at Primary 4-6 pupils and Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1 students, focuses on mathematics and science subjects to help improve teaching and learning outcomes in the classrooms.

The ambassador said that education was key to the development of any nation, especially in the digital age.

According to him, providing schools with access to high quality digital resources is essential for students’ growth and future success.

“A lot of efforts from experts in Korea and Nigeria have been put in place to make the vision a reality.

“Therefore, I am confident that this package of digital contents that will be made available across Nigeria will enrich learning experiences and helping students’ educational development.’’

Kim said that the ceremony represented South Korea’s shared commitment to quality education in Nigeria and strengthening of bilateral cooperation through the collaboration between KOICA and UBEC.

“The educational digital contents are expected to be disseminated across the 37 smart schools and other public schools in Nigeria,” he said.

The ambassador also reiterated his government’s willingness in supporting the education sector in Nigeria.

On his part, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, expressed appreciation to the ambassador over the Korea Government’s support in improving basic education in Nigeria through smart technologies.

He added that the commission was at the embassy three years ago to sign an MOU for the Smart Education Project in Nigeria with the Korean Government.

“Since then, we have worked closely with the Korean experts in the implementation of the smart education project; and so far, we have achieved a lot together in improving basic education in Nigeria, “he said.

Bobboyi also commended KOICA for its assistance to Nigeria, saying the intervention had become a symbol of cooperation between both countries.

NAN recalls that prior to the handover of the digital contents to UBEC, KOICA had installed modern Content Development Studios (CDS) with state of art equipment for producing digital contents in some schools.

The CDS are found in KOICA-Supported Smart schools in the six states namely Kano, Cross River, Bauchi, Ekiti, Nasarawa and FCT.

Series of capacity building were also provided to teachers and school principals on how to record, edit and develop digital contents for classroom teaching using the CDS installed in their schools.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by AbdulFatai Beki and Chijioke Okoronkwo

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