(Special Report) The Plight Of Girl Child In Acquiring Education In Kaduna Communities

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By; AMOS TAUNA, Kaduna

Shezamwu Jatau, a 15 year old student of Government Day Secondary School, Sabon Tasha,  Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State, wants to after her educational pursuit, work for a living to help herself, parents and society hence her determination to work hard as a student to realize her dreams.

Shezamwu, from Ungwan Ayaba, walks seven kilometers everyday to Government Day Secondary School, Sabon Tasha in  Kaduna metropolis and after closing from school, embarks on the same journey home in order to attain her secondary education.

She told New Nigerian that one fateful day when she closed from school in the evening together with her two friends, on their way going home, they were attacked and raped between Juji and Ungwan Ayaba by some youth, putting fear in her of the risk she has to take before completing her secondary school.

This particular incident became a stumbling block to her vision of pursuing a career in future.

She said, “Apart from the three of us that were raped, there are other cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and other social vices that most of us especially girls are faced with resulting to some abandoning school for early marriage or hawking in order to earn a living.”

Shezamwu added, “There are other girls from other villages like Kakau Daji, Ungwan Duna, Ungwan Ba’a, among others who trek far distances to go to Government Day Secondary School, Sabon Tasha,  the only secondary school around, that  have stopped going to school because of various challenges l  earlier mentioned to you.”

“In spite of the challenges the girls are facing, those whose parents want them to continue with secondary education have organized some boys to accompany them from their villages to Juji village which is four hours trekking, from Juji village to Sabon Tasha, the girls trekk three kilometers to the school and have to wait for them at Juji village so that they will take them back home especially when they are in evening classes.”

An investigation by New Nigerian shows that youth around some villages trek far distances to Sabon Tasha to attend the  secondary school, many that could not stand the challenge dropped out of school and some ended up engaging in social vices due to idleness.

Some stakeholders told New Nigerian that concerted steps have to be taken by Kaduna State Government to properly address some challenges of education in Juji and other villages in Chikun Local Government Area to be able to address the ugly situation before it becomes something else.

New Nigerian realises that as a result of the distance before getting to Sabon Tasha where the only Day Secondary School is, over 90 per cent of the youth in the communities have abandoned the pursuit of their education beyond primary school.

Mr. Nuhu Ephraim, a community leader in Juji in charge of education, explained that the communities have resolved that it is mandatory for every child that is of school age is enrolled in primary school.

He explained that the main challenge the area and other neighbouring communities were facing was lack of secondary schools within the communities to ensure they are admitted to further their education.

“Most of these children after their primary school end up roaming around with nothing doing and could easily be deceived into all kinds of social vices.

“Today, we are faced with the problems of kidnapping, armed robbery and other social vices that are inimical to the progress of the communities. They need encouragement to further their education and engage themselves in useful ventures that could earn them a living in future,” he explained.

He observed that even the primary school in Juji, has a block of two classrooms constructed by government since its inception, stressing that at the moment, the children received lessons while sitting on the floor without a single chair or table even for the teachers.

“The school has no toilet, the roof of the classrooms are not in good shape and so many other necessary things lacking in the school to ensure a conducive learning environment. This has made many parents not sending their children to school besides lack of enough teachers to teach the children in all subjects,” he noted.

Some of the youth appealed to the state  government to come to the plight of the community by citing a secondary school for the benefit of Juji and other surrounding communities.

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