Why the Girl-Child education important

By Oguntoyinbo Josephine
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According to research, educated women have a greater chance of escaping poverty, living healthier and more productive raising the standard of living of their children, families, and communities.

To this end, education, and most recently the girl-child education is becoming a major part of discourses in academic and political spheres in Nigeria. Nollywood producers, radio presenters, academicians, politicians among others are always bringing up the issue to the public attention.

People everywhere, mostly women are watching the debate with keen interest wondering if there will ever be a time when the girl child will be as privileged as the boy child.

Honestly, the answers to these questions are best kept inside because while I get excited at the idea of a compulsory education for the Nigerian girl child irrespective of tribe or religion, some people still frown at the idea.

The Nigerian constitution clearly stipulates that every child, boy or girl has the right to education. Actually, the constitution even requires a free and compulsory education for children between the ages of 6 to 15 years.

Nonetheless, we are aware that there are over 10 million children that are not in school and are not receiving any form of training to help them better their lots in life. Of these 10 million children, the woman or more accurately, the girl child- constitutes a greater percentage.

One of the major reasons militating against the girl child education is poverty, followed closely by the culture of the Nigerian people and certain aspects of the Nigerian religion.

Investigations shows that the education of the girl child is mostly sacrificed for that of the boy child.

This practice undermines the role a woman plays in the family and the society at large. Woman is the foundation of the home. She could make it work or just break it. To the child, she is a friend, a teacher, a confidant, a counselor and the hand that feed.

To this end, The Hope reporter went round town to examine the views of some people on the issue.

According to a civil servant working with INEC, Mrs Funke Fadekemi, girl chil’s education is very important in any nation that want to grow in all aspects of her endeavours. The popular saying that when you educate a girl, you have educated, trained the whole family /nation could not be ignored because the reason for the adage emanated from the thought that girls roles are very pivotal in the society

 She also said “When a girl is educated, everything seems to be well with the family that raised such a girl-child, as the multipliers effect could not be qualified.”

 To her, since a girl is the closest to the home, a good upbringing of the child would translate to a conducive environment, because of the impact the girl child has on the family generally.

She maintained that it will be a disservice to leave the girl out of formal education simply because she is a female child.

 She also said “when the education of a girl- child is neglected, such girl becomes problematic to her parents and the nation at large.

To this end, she advised parents and guardians to educate the girls in order to have a more stable, dependable and better society.

Also speaking is a teacher, Mrs Ojo-Victor kehinde who opined that girl education is very important in many dimensions, including upbringing of the children and up keeping of the home.

She noted that “When you educate a girl, you have educated a nation”.

She explained that girl -child education helps in all aspect of human endeavours, adding that the girl is the home builders and helpers in the family hence the need to take their education as priority.

To her, educating the girl will make the society a better place to live “Where we have women as a leader, they often perform better than men, how then will they perform without being educated.?

“Women are soft hearted, God fearing, and also considerate, before taking any decision, they always consider how it can affect people within their environment.

“When you educate the girl, they will become very responsible leaders and the nation will be better for it.”

An Educationist, Mrs Aina Ogunsakin submitted  that all girls should be educated  because they are  still going to become a mother who  will play a major  role in  building and moulding  the foundation  of their children.

She said  in her words that any woman  who want to be  respected, especially  by her husband  should have  something  to offer, noting that  a woman who does not have  anything  to offer does not  deserve  respect  from  her husband.

Commenting, a business woman, Mrs Magaret Paul who described women as the light of the family, said every successful man has a woman who is behind him.

To her, what  a man  can do a woman  can also  do better, adding that  women  have  more  roles to play in the family  than  men while every  man value  their  wife  especially  if they  are well educated.