Education offers girl child opportunity of being valued in society - Aisha Buhari

All for one, One for all

Mrs Aisha Buhari, wife of the President, has said that a good education offered the Nigerian girl child an opportunity of being a valued member of the society.

She said this on Thursday in Abuja during the International Day of the Girl Child Summit, which was organised by the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) and commemorated yearly on October 11, 2015.

The theme of the celebration was ``Empowerment and training: Innovating for Girl-Child education’’.

Mrs Buhari, who was represented by Mrs Alamanda Lawal, wife of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said education was the key that opened the door to an opportunity to succeed beyond customary measures.

``Education is a fundamental right which is the only chance that most Nigerian girls have to rise above the cultural and traditional systems of stratification;

``That continues to cast women as inferior to their male counterparts, economically, politically and socially.

``A good education offers the Nigerian girl child an opportunity of being a valued member of the society.

``For girls, education can enable economic independence, political participation, and empower them with the necessary knowledge to actively and effectively tackle oppressive norms that perpetuate different forms of violence against women,” she said.

According to her, education serves as an avenue to dislodge gender inequality and provide cultural alternatives that persists.

She, however, noted that change was a constant thing but it was a gradual process, adding that it required collective effort for women to actualize their full potentials.

Mrs Buhari reiterated her commitment and resolve to champion the cause of women, maternal and child health through consistent advocacy.

Justice Mary Odili, Chief Justice Supreme Court of Nigeria, said women should ensure they do not leave their children in whatever they did, adding that they could not be compromised for anything.

Odili urged women to ensure taking corrective measures on their children, especially the girl child which would improve their formative years into adulthood.

She also encouraged parents to always engage the services of extra school curriculum to sharpen the intellect of their children.

Mrs Chimdi Neliaku, who spoke on behalf of the girl children at the summit, said the government needed to establish schools for the girl child with special needs in all states of the federation.

Neliaku said: ``Our schools need to change their curriculum to be in line with the global practices and also domesticate the Child Rights Act in all states.

``The law should take its full course on perpetrators of rapists on women and girls.

``The girl child should be sent to school at least to the level of secondary education.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a communique is expected at the end of the summit for the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The International Day of the Girl Child was introduced by UN to address the challenges girls faced and to promote girls’ empowerment and fulfillment of their rights. (NAN)

Credit: NDUBISI.IJEOMA   Source: http://nannewsnigeria.com/education-offers-girl-child-opportunity-being-valued-society-aisha-buhari