Nigeria (Commonwealth Union)_ The Federal Ministry of Education, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom, together with UNICEF, have collaborated to support the education of 1.5 million girls from six northern Nigerian states, owing to the low rate of female enrollment in schools. As a result of this huge initiative, millions of girls from the region have gained access to education.
According to the Ministry and its development partners, between 2012 and 2022, they successfully executed Girls’ Education Programme Phase 3 (GEP3) in the six northern Nigerian states of Katsina, Kano, Niger, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Bauchi. The latest statement released by UNICEF stated that the investment of $109 million in the initiative resulted in the enrollment of an extra 1.5 million girls in school, considerably exceeding the project’s goal.
The research indicates that, as a result of the initiative, the primary school enrollment rate of females in the six states increased from 43% to 70%, while gender parity increased from 0.73 to 0.97. The statement further added that the GEP3 aimed to enhance the quality of education for all children and to increase girls’ access to school and economic prospects, thereby breaking the cycle of poverty and disadvantage. In evaluating the performance of the project, Education Minister Mallam Adamu Adamu stated that the GEP3 was successful in increasing the number of females enrolled in formal and non-formal schools as well as improving learning results.
Cristian Munduate, Nigeria’s UNICEF representative, delivered his speech saying, “I express the deep appreciation of UNICEF to the UK Government for this long-term commitment and funding for girls’ access to primary school in northern Nigeria. Together there remains much work to be done, to ensure that girls transition to, and complete secondary education”. He added: “This is crucial not only for the economic growth and wellbeing of the girl and her family, but also to control the high population growth expected in Nigeria. We consider FCDO and the Nigerian government as reliable partners in this challenging endeavor.”
The statement further emphasized that, apart from exceeding its enrollment goals, GEP3’s innovations, policies, and best practices also supported the advancement of Nigeria’s educational sector. According to UNICEF, the GEP 3 project educated nearly 67,000 primary school teachers, including those in Integrated Qur’anic schools, to enhance their skills and capacity in order to provide excellent education.
