INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL-CHILD: LSUBEB LAMENTS RATE OF OUT-OF-SCHOOL CHILDREN

The Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. Wahab Alawiye-King, has described the statistics of out-of-school girls in some parts of the State as alarming and requiring urgent attention.

Speaking on Thursday in Lagos at an event organised by the Lagos State Government School-Based Committee Mothers’ Association to mark the International Day of the Girl Child, Alawiye-King, who was represented by a Permanent Board member of SUBEB in Lagos State, Mrs. Shijuade Idowu-Tiamiyu said that all hands must be on deck to make sure that all out-of-school girls are back to school.

He said, “In the schools in Lagos State, we have 50 per cent of male pupils and 50 per cent of female pupils. But we should not be happy with the statistics. If you go to Makoko, Ajegunle, Ojo, Egbeda, Ikorodu, and Iyana-Iba you will know that girls are out of school”.

The SUBEB Chairman attested that the State Government places a high premium on the education of children, emphasising that the Board will ensure that no child is left behind in the access to quality education, especially the Girl-Child being the ‘mothers of tomorrow’.

He appreciated the efforts of the Lagos State Chapter of Mothers’ Association in promoting the education of the girl-child and promised to work with the Association in curbing school menace.

In his words “SUBEB will work closely with your association and also National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, (NAPTIP) in ensuring that the girl-child has a better future”.

The Chairperson of Lagos State Chapter of Mothers’ Association, Princess Oyegbami stated that girl-child is very important in the future of the country, stressing that “this is because when you train a girl-child you are training a Nation”.

She stated that part of the functions of the Mothers’ Association is to strengthen the promotion of girl-child education and eradicate gender disparity, promising that the Association will collaborate with SUBEB in ensuring that every girl-child gets a quality education.

Also at the occasion, the Executive Director and Founder of Live Abundantly Initiative, Dr. Ama Onyerima said the education of the girl child will end the cycle of violence, exploitation, poverty, and inequality.

Onyerima, however, called on parents to put an end to child labour which she described as a violation of the fundamental right of children, noting that “Child labour is an exploitation of the child to have him or her work to feed the family; it is a violation against their fundamental rights”.