By Zainab Olufunmi
A Non-Governmental Organisation, Participatory Communication for Gender Development Initiative (PAGED – Initiative) has organised media summit on barriers to girls education.
The Founder/Programme Director of PAGED-I, Ummi Bukar on Tuesday, said that aim of the summit is to implement media advocacy project on girls education in the state.
She said this initiative is to train girls to become role models in their communities in order to fight against barriers to girls education.
According to her, we go round different communities with the girls to enable them have close access and interact with parents, to build their confidence in discussing freely their problems with the them.
“Once they observe or see any problem in their communities, they will be able to address it without any hesitation, let government know what that particular communities are facing and take necessary action.
“Most of the parents identity poverty as their main problem, but do not see the value of girl child education, ”she said.
Bukar said these parents prefer to save money for their girl child wedding, instead of buying uniforms and allow them go to school.
She attributed that most of the communities are far and their teachers salary is too small to sustain them for a month.
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“Sometimes whenever they come to school twice or thrice in a week, their salaries is already exhausted, hence won’t have enough to bring them to school.”
Bukar call on government and the media improve on the sensitisation of the people in the rural areas on importance of education for both boys and girls.
She further explained the gains of bringing the sensitisation to the grassroots and why they must make the media know their plights and how the issue can be resolved.
She urged state government to employ teachers residing within the communities or nearby for easy access and teaching without any hindrance.
Similarly, Dr. Auwal Halilu, the State Coordinator, Civil Society Action Collation for Education For All (CSACEFA) in Kano state, urged the media to promote programmes that can change the mind set of people in rural areas towards supporting education in the state.
“We are looking at what the media can do in other to change the mind set of people in rural areas towards supporting education in Kano state.
“Government cannot do it alone, someone needs to come in to support or collaborate to make education relevant in the State.
“Boys and girls education is very important, most especially girls of this present time.
“Media can change the narrative, there is so much economic hardship and it is affecting education of our children.
“Most especially in the rural areas, we want to try and see how girl child can combine education and skills for the benefit of her life, parents and family,”he said.
Halilu further explained that government can do it’s part by making sure it provides all the basic and necessary equipment and as well employ teachers to acquire qualitative education.
He urged government to support the initiative by promoting enlightenment through media.
“Government can engage various media house through sponsorship of relevant programmes for people to know and understand the importance of educational. (NAN)