….14 Year Old Girl Takes Over Ganduje’s Seat
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Monday advocated for digital inclusion for the girl-child to bridge the gap existing between them and their boys counterpart to usher in a digital revolution for all.
The Chief of Field Office, Mr. Maulid Warfa, UNICEF Field Office Kano made the call during a grand event at the Kano State African House to mark the 2021 International Day of the Girl Child with the theme; ‘Digital Generation-Our Generation; Digital Revolution: Not without Girls’ organized by the UNICEF in collaboration with Kano SUBEB and High Level Women Advocacy (HiLWA) which took place at the Kano State Government House, Kano.
According to him, analysis of the gender gap index shows that adolescent girls in Nigeria face complex challenges in education, health and access to economic opportunities as school enrollment rates starts at 80% for primary and drops to 13 percent by completion of secondary education.
Thus, transition to secondary for Nigerian adolescent girls and the inequality and exclusion that span geographies and generations is a huge concern that needs to be addressed urgently by the Government and other stakeholders.
Warfa said that with funding support from Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through the Girl’s Education Project (GEP), not less than 1.3 million girls have been enrolled in school between 2012 to date across the GEP project states of Kano, Bauchi, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto and Zamfara.
Also, that the UNICEF is working with donors and development partners, in collaboration with the Government to focus on the issues of Girls’ transition from primary to secondary school while there is collaboration also on issues of digital literacy and digital access for the girls through Generation Unlimited (GenU) Nigeria, a platform with a vision which aims to reach 20million young Nigerians by 2030.
However, there was a symbolic ‘take over’ of the Kano State Governor’s seat by a 14-year-old girl, Atika Aminu Yankaba. to mark the International Day of the Girl-Child.
Gov. Atika shortly after the take over called for a State Executive Council meeting, with her new cabinet members where issues of girl child education were thoroughly discussed.
During the Council Meeting, ‘Governor’ Atika said the state needs more funds to build more classes, employ more teachers and give priority to ICT education.
Furthermore, she said her government’ will supply necessary items such as sanitary pads to ease their learning processes.