NGO wants stiffer penalties against parents preventing girl education
A non-governmental organisation, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), has urged state governments to toughen penalties against parents preventing the girl child from accessing basic education.
Speaking at a consultative forum for education stakeholders in Yola, Adamawa State, yesterday, Programme Officer, Mr. Sunday Rufus, said the event aimed to promote basic education rights of the girl child in Nigeria.
He expressed disappointment over the attitude of parents that ban female children from getting a basic education. Calling for a review of the girl child education rights law, Rufus said only stiff penalties would stop the parents involved.
“The consultative forum is to create awareness among stakeholders on the need to implement the right to basic education and review the current basic education in Adamawa State, and the extent to which the right has been enforced. It will also examine factors hindering children from going to school,” he said.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Salihu Ateequ, commended the organisation for supporting the government’s efforts at providing quality education for all in the state.
Ateequ, who was represented by Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Hamidu Ibrahim, said the board is working on modalities to weed out obstacles affecting girl child education in parts of the state.
He said Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s government has given education top priority, from budget to physical implementation of schemes, with a view to promoting quality education in the state.
