Education of Nigerian Child: The Perspective of the Girl-Child

Abstract

Every child irrespective of sex has the right to education. The right of all persons to education is categorically clear and set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Thus education is a human right which is also an essential tool for achieving the goals of equality and development. The development of any nation is a collective responsibility of boys and girls. For this reasons, all nations of the world have realised that education is the instrument for promoting and improving the status of girls and women. To empower girls therefore, increased access to education is necessary. This paper discusses the issues of gender inequality and marginalisaiion in relation to the education of the Nigerian girl-child. The paper examines how girls are not accorded equal access to education on the grounds of their sex. It also identifies some of the barriers to girls' education and how these pose threats to the nation's drive for national development, integration and cohesion. Lastly, recommendations are proffered on how girls' education can help to promote and sustain national socio-economic and political development. One of such recommendations is that, there should be proper implementation of the Universal Basic Education Programme in Nigeria, since inter alia, it has provision for girl-child education or development generally.