Borno State Govt Committed To Promotion and Sustainability of Girl Child Education... Zulum
As Borno Celebrates 1 Million Girls' March To School
The Borno State Governor, Prof. Babgana Umara Zulum has re-echoed his government's willingness to promote and sustain girl child education in the state. He also hinted of that his government is planning to establish Women and Girl Child Vocation Training Center to promote and sustain girl child education across the 27 LGAs of the state.
The governor disclosed this today at the celebration of 2019 International Day of the Girl child, universally celebrated annually on the 1st of October as part of the Belgium International Conference on rights of Women and girl child by the United Nations (UN). The event was held at the Multi Purpose Hall of the Government House Maiduguri.
While commending the organizers of the celebration (World Bank, UNICEF, PLAN International and others) he emphasized his government's commitment to ensure an uninterupted support on the progress of girl child and full actualization of her dreams in Borno state.
The governor further expressed appreciation to his predecessor for raising the standard of education in Borno while directing the State Ministries of Women Affairs and Education to look into policies that will be incorporated into the education sector of the 10- point Agenda of the present administration.
" I appreciate the organizers. This administration will do everything possible to promote girl child education and sustain it, particularly, in the ares of Technical and Vocational Education .
"I will also establish Girl Child Vocational Training Center in the state alongside the Boy Child Vocational Training Center under construction to make them self reliant and self employed.", Zulum said.
He however lamented on the quality of education in the state which he said, informed the inauguration of two separate committees at the LGC level to look into the qualifications and working experiences of teachers in primary and secondary schools as most pupils can not read or write good because the teachers are not qualified and well trained.
Zulum insists that the aim is to ensure quality and standard education for the children across the state using qualified and experienced teachers, pointing out that most of the teachers are wives and brothers of traditional rulers, top government officials and politicians and warned that the situation must be reversed.
Prof. Zulum vowed to comply with the recommendations of the committee to sanitize the education system with quality teachers, stressing that, "it is only with qualified teachers that our children can excel in our schools".
" Most of the teachers are wives and brothers of politicians and not willing to teach. We are working to rid our schools of all the bad teachers. We are interested in quality education. Education is key and vital to general growth and development of a state and the country at large.
"Women and girls are our wives and mothers. We shall also ensure the primary and secondary education of the girl child. We shall vigorously pursue this important course Insha Allah,"/ Zulum said.
Earlier, the State Commissioner of Education, Hon. Ayuba Bello represented by Hajiya Aisha Mustapha Sheikh said the event is being celebrated annually to respond to the UN Belgium Women International Conference to promote the welfare, education, safety and health of the girl child world wide.
She added that it was to further mobilize political will and policy makers to contribute their quota as well as mobilize for the enforcement of the rights of the girl child.
State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Zuwaira Gambo speaking at the event
The State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Zuwaira Gambo explained that the Girl child education is an essential tool to promote family and societal growth, discipline, development and progress of the society. She submitted that no society can develop or grow without the active participation of women and girl Child.
Commending the organizer for their support and collaboration of the organizers of the celebration- UNICEF, World Bank, Plan International and others, she appealed to the Governor to establish a Girl Child School in one of the newly constructed schools within the Maiduguri metropolis.
She stated that girl child education will guarantee hope to millions of girl orphans, widows and less privileged to fulfil their aspirations to become future leaders and great women as well as leaders of the society. She further said that apart from the traditional role of manning the house as mothers and training the children, they also contribute their quota as educated women in governance or leadership .
Her Excellency, Dr. Falmata Babagana Umara Zulum, speaking at the ceremony
The wife of the Governor, Dr. Falmata Umara Zulum commanded the organizers and urged the girls to be dedicated and committed to their education in order to become future leaders like other notable women across the world.
She called on the state government to have an action plan for all women and girl child to go to school and acquire education while assuring that government will mobilize for political will and reinforcements.
Dr. Falmata Zulum further appealed for gender equality program to be established to give girls more opportunities in the scheme of things in the state
She also assured that the state government will make everything possible for the girl child to contribute her quota while calling on the government to introduce free and compulsory girl child education in the state.
" Girl child are powerful instruments of change in the society and have been positively impacting on the society", Falmata said.
