Governors under the auspices of Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) have made a commitment to education funding by pledging the allocation of 15% of their budgets to the education sector.
Chairman of the NGF and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, disclosed this at the close of the maiden International Conference on Girl Child Education held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, on Friday.
Governor AbdulRazaq represented by the Director General of the NGF, Abdulateef Shittu, disclosed that education investment is not just a target; but a necessity for the future of Nigerian children”, adding that the Governors commitment is aimed at addressing critical barriers affecting girls’ access to quality education, including poverty and early marriage.
The Governors said, “Our commitment as a forum to education financing especially Girl Child Education funding is unwavering across the states. We declare our readiness to meeting the international benchmark of at least 15% annual budgetary allocation to the education sector.
“We are committed to having a vision for Education Community of Practice intervention framework for enrolment advocacy, funding support and quality education scale up through the provision of infrastructural and instructional materials in the school system and ensuring that our kids are in school and learning through experiential and digital literacy knowledge and skills acquisition.”
At the conference, Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, announced that starting October 15, 2024, the federal government will commence efforts to rescue out-of-school children from the streets.
“The Federal Government is set to start picking out-of-school children from the streets, beginning on October 15, 2024,” she said
Explaining that this initiative will enable the government to connect with the families of these children, particularly their mothers. the Minister said, “Picking those children from the street will allow us to have access to their parents, especially their mothers.”
The minister further elaborated on the government’s plans to empower the mothers of these out-of-school children. “We have a comprehensive plan to empower these women so they can adequately care for their children,” she stated.
The Minister called for collective action from all stakeholders: “I urge all relevant stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to come together to empower less privileged women across the nation.”
She underscored the critical role that women’s empowerment plays in improving educational outcomes for children, particularly girls. further elaborated on the government’s plans to empower the mothers of these out-of-school children. “We have a comprehensive plan to empower these women so they can adequately care for their children,” she stated.
Kwara State First Lady, Olufolake Abdulrazaq, commended the NGF for organising the event which coincided with the international Day of the Girl Child, emphasising that “the right of Nigeria’s girl child to education is a matter of obligation and moral imperative.”
Abdulrazaq highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by marginalised girls, stating, “While there has been significant progress in improving girl child access to education, many continue to be deprived of this basic right”, noting that the conference was pivotal in addressing systemic barriers that hinder effective educational strategies.
In her speech, the First Lady of Kwara also pointed out alarming statistics, saying “More than 60% of out-of-school children in Nigeria are girls”, urging attendees to develop clear strategies to reduce this number and enhance educational retention.
