The recent International Conference on Girl Child Education, hosted by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), brought crucial attention to the challenges and opportunities in advancing education for girls in Nigeria. With alarming statistics from UNESCO highlighting that around 20 million Nigerian children out of school are girls—over 10 million from the northern regions—this summit provided a vital platform for stakeholders to address these pressing issues.
Notably, UNICEF reports that 7.6 million girls are currently out of school, with significant dropout rates at both primary and junior secondary levels. Early marriage compounds this issue, with many girls in the Northwest facing such pressures.
NewGlobe, recognized for its innovative education programs, played a prominent role at the summit. The organization has implemented transformative solutions in various states, including Lagos (EKOEXCEL), Edo (EdoBEST), Kwara (KwaraLEARN), and Bayelsa (BayelsaPRIME). Research by Harvard professor Prof. Michael Kremer indicates that children in NewGlobe’s partner programs achieve nearly a full year of additional learning compared to peers in traditional settings.
Dr. Soji Akinyele, NewGlobe’s Nigeria Group Managing Director, emphasized the importance of exploring scalable educational models to ensure every girl has access to quality education. He urged decision-makers to leverage innovative localized solutions to unlock the potential of Nigerian girls and, by extension, the nation itself.
As part of the conference’s outcomes, the NGF launched the Girl Child Education Volunteers’ Advocates (GICEVA) initiative, which aims to mobilize volunteers across Nigeria to advocate for girl child education. This initiative also introduced Girl Child Ambassadors to champion the cause among NYSC corps members in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, marking a significant step toward advancing education for girls in Nigeria. The time for action, as echoed by participants, is now critical.