Introduction
Education is seem as a process of acquiring skills and knowledge which will help an individual to perform better in the society. It is the process of transmitting values from on generation to another. Education is seen as a human right that should be given to all human beings.
The issues about the girl child. She is the bedrock and future of any national or society aspiring for sustainable development.
Although at first glance, it might seem that all is well with female education in Nigeria, it is certainly not so. Despite there being schools made specifically to educate girls, Nigeria still has very low literacy rates among its female population.
Well, there are all sorts of reasons why Nigeria girls are less educated than boys. Let’s consider the most prominent reasons in more detail.
Age of consent in Nigeria
Various studies have shown that there is a strong link between girls’ literacy rates and religious and traditional misconceptions. As Nigeria is a very religious country, many of its citizens tend to live according to the holy writings, be it the Bible or Quran. That is why many households think that girls should not receive education in the same way boys do, if they receive it at all.
The same can be said for traditions. Many people still live with a very traditionally biased view on life. According to this view, a girl should grow up to be a mother and a housewife. Why would she need education for that?
Out of these reasons stems another one: gender discrimination. Girls are discriminated based on their gender both in their communities and in schools. Their achievements are not considered as significant as the boys’ achievements are. Women’s history is not taught at schools. Less attention is paid to educating girls on the topics of their bodies and their health.
Important of girl child education in Nigeria
Another reason that comes from traditional and religious views is that girls are often forced into marrying very early. When a girl becomes a wife at as early as 11-12 years old, she will most likely not have an opportunity to receive proper education.
There is also the problem of teenage pregnancy. This one is more of endless circle, as girls that do not receive education, including the information about how pregnancies occur, tend to get pregnant at a very early age. Subsequently, when they give birth, they are often unable to receive education. It is a vicious cycle that never ends.
To add to this list, many Nigerian girls suffer from abuse. It might be abuse at home, including harmful bodily practices. It might also be sexual abuse or even worse. Girls and their parents do not feel like schools or even the trip toschoo
Issues of child marriage in Nigeria
Many Nigerian families, especially ones in the northern parts of the country, suffer from poverty. This means that parents tend to prioritise boys’ education in big families and neglect girls’ education completely or give it less attention than it deserves.
As you can see, there are many issues that prevent girls from receiving education in Nigeria. Now it is time to consider the measures that might improve the situation
Conclusion
Proper awareness should be created to sensitize campaign on issues that affect girls child education