, Onelife Initiative, has called for sustained collaboration between stakeholders in education,){kind=link}
A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Onelife Initiative, has called for sustained collaboration between stakeholders in education, including government, civil society organisations, and philanthropic networks, to provide qualitative, gender responsive and holistic education for the girl-child.
The call forms part of the Volume II report of the State of Girl Child Education (SoGE) in Oyo State, launched, on Tuesday, at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan, marking a significant milestone in the pursuit of educational equity for girls and identifying key areas for investment and targeted interventions.
While speaking, the Executive Director of Onelife Initiative, Sola Fagorusi, expressed concern over the findings, stating that the drivers of high performance in Saki East Local Government Area (LGA) of the state remained unclear and are not easily replicable in other areas where girls are consistently underperforming.
He emphasised the importance of using the report to inform decisions that could lead to impactful interventions for the growing population of girls in the state’s secondary schools and beyond.
Fagorusi disclosed that the findings of the report did not only celebrate progress, but also highlighted ongoing challenges, serving as an essential guide for future interventions aimed at empowering girls and fostering their academic success.
He said: “The report assesses girl-child education in Oyo State’s public secondary schools for the 2023 and 2024 academic cycles, utilising data from NECO, SSCE, and WASSCE national examinations. It highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in educational outcomes for girls.
“The report identified Saki East LGA as having consistently high performance in examinations over the past three years. In stark contrast, LGAs such as Ibarapa North, Iwajowa, Irepo, and Iseyin reported low progression rates, with up to 90% of girls failing to achieve the necessary credits for advancement in some cases.”
Fagorusi noted that the report further featured uplifting stories from the www.teachher.ng initiative, which provides corps members with skills for a girl-centered teaching approach, while expressing appreciation to the Malala Fund for making the programme a success.
In his address, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Segun Olayiwola, represented by the Local Inspector of Education, Mr Kayode Okesade, praised Onelife Initiative’s efforts and reiterated the state’s commitment to girl-child welfare through initiatives like Menstrual Hygiene Day and the Day of the Girl-Child.
For her part, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Toyin Balogun, represented by the Deputy Director of Child Welfare, Bola Dada, highlighted the importance of the Ministry’s Back to School Programme, which she said aims to re-enroll girls who have dropped out of school across all the 33 LGAs in the state.
Some of the schools in attendance at the occasion include; Isabatudeen Grammar School, Monatan Secondary School, Bashorun High School, Hunuani Alaga Grammar School, Eleyele Secondary School, and Government College, all in Ibadan.
The event brought key stakeholders, such as representatives from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Women Affairs, civil society organisations, education networks, public secondary school teachers, and students from eight public schools in the state, who provided a comprehensive analysis of the current state of girl-child education in the region.
Onelife Initiative is a youth serving non-governmental organisation actively bringing and connecting young people with information and resources needed to thrive and build a resilient society.
Hauwa Abu