From Joe Effiong, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State government has promised to work with relevant agencies to drastically reduce the rate of out-of-school girls at both junior and senior secondary school levels.
This follows a two-volume report recently launched in Uyo on the State of Girl Child Education (SoGE) in Akwa Ibom State by Onelife Initiative, a youth-serving non-governmental organisation, with support from Malala Fund.
The report also identified Uyo, the capital of the state, among the local government areas (LGAs) consistently recording the least success rate in the last five years at the WASSCE examination in the state.
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The Executive Director of Onelife Initiative, Sola Fagorusi, while presenting excerpts from Vol. I and II of the reports covering the period from 2019 to 2024, shared insights on the academic performances of girls in public secondary schools in the state, disaggregated into the 31 local government areas.
“In 2019, a total of 18,599 girls from public secondary schools enrolled for the West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), while 22,468 girls from public schools enrolled for the exam in 2024, signalling an increase in enrolment.
“For the NECO SSCE, 3,698 girls in private schools enrolled, while 5,589 girls from public schools enrolled in 2024.
“Meanwhile, about 4,600 girls of Junior Secondary Classes and 9,600 of Senior Secondary School Classes are currently out of school in Akwa Ibom State, according to analysis of the MICS-EAGLE data,” Fagorusi explained.
Speaking further, Fagorusi said: “Our findings from West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) reveal that local governments such as Mkpat Enin, Onna, Ikot Ekpene, Ibeno, Obot Akara, and Eastern Obolo are in the top five performing local governments for female candidates in the state over the last five years, with the likes of Oron, Uyo, Nsit Atai, Ika, Itu, and Ibesikpo Asutan being bottom performers.”
The report, among other recommendations, urged the government and philanthropic groups to consider improving water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools for girls and build toilets for girls in a location separate from the boys, while also making plans for their maintenance.
Responding, the state government, through the Commissioner for Education, Prof Ubong Essien Umo, represented on the occasion by the Assistant Director, State Quality Assurance Services, Mrs Blessing Etuk, promised to work together with other state and non-state actors to implement vital recommendations from the State of Girl Child Education (SoGE) reports.
Professor Umo explained that “while the state has implemented a number of programmes and initiatives targeted at the girl child, which includes the construction of Modern Girls Secondary School, Ikot Ekang, and scholarship programmes for indigent and high-performing students to encourage retention and academic excellence, including the girl child, more still lies ahead.”
“The Ministry of Education needs to also work with the 31 Local Government Areas in the state to host annual prize-giving days for the best academic performance for the girls in all the LGAs annually, while also providing opportunities for the development and expression of sports skills for girls.
“The significance of the report is in its provision of credible data that will guide stakeholders, including the Ministry of Education, in strengthening policies and interventions that directly impact the lives of our girls,” the Commissioner said.
While reacting to the presentation, the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hon Mrs Inibehe Silas Etukudo, represented by the Director of Economic Services, Nkechi Udoh, committed her ministry’s will to focus on LGAs with poor performances reflected in the SoGE report to ensure safety in schools and curb sexual harassment, which also has an effect on girls’ academic performances.
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