• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Edo SUBEB Chairman calls for prioritisation of girl-child education

Edo SUBEB Chairman calls for prioritisation of girl-child education

The Executive Chairman of Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (Edo SUBEB), Ozavize Salami has restated the commitment of the Edo State Government to the education of girls.

According to Salami, “over 140,000 girls are registered, learning and undergoing empowerment programmes at our 1,330 state-owned junior secondary and primary schools across Edo State.

“As we commemorate International Day of the Girl-Child, we truly believe in the power of our girls to become! We re-commit to invest in a future that believes in their agency, leadership, and true potential,” Salami noted in commemoration of International Day of the Girl-Child.

According to UNESCO, 129 million girls around the world are out of school, including 32 million of primary school age, as less than half of countries have achieved gender parity in basic education.

In Edo state, 49 percent of pupils in state-owned junior secondary and primary schools are girls.

Salami said that Edo SUBEB is empowering girls with knowledge to be the next generation of women who transform their homes and communities and take a seat at the table, a spot on the field or a place on the stage.

Read also: Ecobank Nigeria partners HerAbility Hub on girl-child education

She further noted that in the words of Governor Godwin Obaseki, International Day of the Girl-Child presents an opportunity to reinstate his administration’s commitment to the welfare and all-around development of the Girl-Child.

Under the EdoBEST programme, social mobilisation activities have led to mass enrolment of girls in the state-owned schools thereby bringing the ratio of females enrolled in state-owned primary and junior secondary and primary schools closer to the ratio of males.

The International Day of the Girl Child focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.

The theme of this year’s celebration, “ Our time is now – our rights, our future” is a call to action to prioritize girl-child education while safeguarding their rights.

EdoBEST schools are fitted with anti-gender based violence clubs to enlighten students on the dangers of gender-based violence and to uphold women’s rights. The EdoBEST programme continues to prioritize the delivery of basic education services, increasing girl child enrolment and improving learning outcomes in all state-owned schools across Edo State.