The Takeaways from Mallpai Foundation Literacy Day 2021 – GBAMSBLOG
By Abdullahi Umar
MALLPAI foundation literacy day 2021 which is tagged “Promoting Literacy in Nigeria for Better Education” took place between 17th & 18th of September, 2021 at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja. The event was well attended by dignitaries from different part of the country and other neighbouring African countries and featured panel discussions by stakeholders from different background who ironed out on policies that are meant to reshape the education of the girl-child in the country.
Stakeholders in the education sector have proffered solutions to the girls’ child education in Nigeria, adding that there are a lot of advantages of girl child education because when you educate girls, you have educated the country.
The two day Summit was organized by the MALLPAI foundation a non-governmental organization. The foundation’s core values rest on the pillar of the strategy adopted in the engagement that bothers around enhancing community development, research and development, advocacy, capacity building all geared towards providing services to rural communities, by popularising duty of care to Almajiri system, improve access to health care, shelter and education to these neglected groups in the society, girl-child education awareness, which has adversely affected the socio-cultural landscape of the country in general.
On the first day of the event which also took place on the Friday 17th of September, 2021 witnessed the contributions of Stakeholders in the education sector have proffered solutions to problems of the girls’ child education in Nigeria, adding that there are a lot of advantages of girl child education because when you educate girls, you have educated a nation. The Panellist of the Day One focused on “Introduction of programme & policies to shape the Nigerian girl child education’’. They comprised the following: Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, Hon. Modalisto Kambauwa-Wirima, MP-Deputy Minister of Education. Hon. Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotie, Executive Director, Business Development of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank. Professor Abbas Abubakar Haladu former NMEC Executive Secretary and Hajiya Najahatu Abdullahi Muhammad, Community Development Expert and finally, Executive Chairman, Kebbi State Universal Basic Education Board, Professor Khalid Suleiman.
First to speak was the Malawian Deputy Minister of education, Hon. Madalisto Kambauwa Wirima who opined that History has shown that women place belong to the Kitchen and not school because women are meant to concentrate on domestic works, taking care of the children, cooking, but today, the tradition has change that, apart from belonging to the kitchen, women can also do what women can do, but that is not making them to be competing with men in the society. Then it was followed by the Executive Chairman, Kebbi State Universal Education Board, Professor Khalid Suleiman, he said that the challenges of girls’ child education are mostly in the rural areas, because there is nothing of girls child education problem in the main town, like in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.
He said, “If you enroll the girls child into primary school, you have to ensure that they transit to secondary school, by the time they finish, they would be 18 years old and also they can decide what is good for themselves.
“Early marriage is one of the factors that delayed girls’ child education. We must address it. I am not saying girls should not marry early, despite is ordained by God, it has to go with time and this our time is for learning.”
The minister of state for education, Hon. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, opined that men should learn to take their eyes from the girls under the age of 18-years that disturbing the girls could make them feel discourage and when the pressure is much, girls have no option than to withdraw from school completely.
He went further to say that there is need to get our society working, the need to move the society forward.
On her own contribution, the Executive Director, Business Development of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Hon. Stella Okotete explained that all Nigerians have a role to play in enforcing free education, adding that everything should not be left in the hands of the government alone, we have to support them.
She also revealed that despite the free education that she promoted when she was a counselor, in her state, she had to create a Special Marshal for the enforcement of the process..
She, however, advocate for creating awareness on girls’ child education and discouraged early child marriage because is one of the great factors that make children drop out of school.
Hajia Najahatu Muhammed, also advocated for the education of the girl-child in the country most especially in the Northern part.
In her remarks, the founder of the organization, Hajiya Aisha Atiku Bagudu, said, if we go to the rural area during our sensitization, you will found out that the teachers who teach these children don’t have the skills to impact the good education into them which is a major challenge.
She also lamented that one of the problems our education has faced over time is lack of funding. “We have left everything in the hands of government and we want the government to do everything for us, at least, we should have to support the government so that these children can remain in school.”
“If we leave education free, where do you think government can get the money to pay teachers salaries and I was thinking whether we should start to allow mothers pay a token of 50 naira s, maybe they would value education”. She however, stated that to train our children, we need to also train ourselves first otherwise, we cannot have the better society we are looking for. The best role model for the girl’s child is her mother because she learns from her mother first and whatever the mother does, you will see it in the girl-child.
The wife of the Vice President Her Excellency Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo was also present at the event, where she read very a Poem ‘Girl Child where are you’ and she called on people to allow the girl child to have access to education where they are having challenges. That education is the only way to success.
The second day of the event took place on the 18th of September 2021, it was also characterized by the contribution of stakeholders which was tagged, ’’Introduce programmes and policies identify problems and proffer solutions’’.
Speaking at the event, His Excellency Governor of Kebbi State and the Chief Host of the event, commended the Federal Government’s efforts under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, for the provision of basic education, which is aimed at meeting future challenges in the polity. According to him, that with several successes recorded, Kebbi state had keyed into some educational programmes that provided easy access to those without access to education.“We challenged our Professors of Higher institutions and told them that under our Universal Basic Education Board law, our best brains should lead where the greatest challenges are in the state’’.
“These professors accepted and today 21 Local Education Authorities in Kebbi State are led by dons from across different universities”. He said.
That the remarkable success recorded is that they were able to face the challenges as trusted and able to look at the government, to say we can do better here and differently. And that in spite of this, the community has to get involved; today there is a consequence in poor investment in getting children back to school, especially the nomadic.
“There is therefore the need for society not to avoid inclusion of young people in accessing quality education.” He said.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo also tasked governments at all levels to deliver on their roles on provision of basic education for the benefit of all Nigerians, especially the girl child. According to him, education is the best ticket to the full enjoyment of all human civil, socio-political and economic rights.
Osinbajo said: “So, when we talk about human rights that have been declared, the only way to access those rights, including economic rights, is by education at the most basic level.
“The ability to read and write, not just in one’s own language, but other global languages is crucial; to be deprived of education is to be deprived of means of pursuit of a dignified existence.
“It is the only means where one can fully contest or collaborate with others for the benefits that life offers and it is so important for us, especially those who are policy makers.
He went further to say that we owe our people the duty to educate them, we owe our people the duty to lift their minds to the level where they can benefit maximally from their environment and give benefits to others.
“Every study, every survey that you have seen confirms that education, especially of women, has a multiplier effect on everything around them’’.
He also said that If you educate a woman, she transforms her environment completely. It usually means a longer life span for herself and for her children. It means they are less likely to die of communicable diseases, since they understand the modern practices of hygiene and sanitation and follow useful material on healthcare.
All of these things are possible; everything is possible if the mind of a human being is educated.
“Every child has talent, every child that is born is born with some talents and some abilities, but nothing will happen if they are not educated to express those abilities.”
The vice president commended the Foundation for its initiative towards improving people’s access to education and skills acquisition opportunities for poor and underprivileged communities.
The event was very lively and it attracted people from all walks of life the likes of Emir of Gwandu, His Royal Highness Alhaji Iliyasu Bashar, represented by Wazirin Gwandu, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar, Hajiya Maryam Sani Abacha, former First Lady of Nigeria, Hajiya Aisha Babangida, business woman and philanthropist, Madam Finda Koroma, Vice President ECOWAS Commission, Alhaji Muhammadu Magawata Aliero, Commissioner for Education Kebbi State. Madam Callister Mutharika, former First Lady of Malawi and politician, and finally Hajiya Aisha Kabir Ibrahim Gaya, former First Lady of Kano State. Members of the Diplomatic Corps.
Abdullahi Umar is an International Affairs Analyst, writes in from Abuja, and can be reached on 09021167714.
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