By Najeeb Sani
A significant number of girls in Gombe State remain out of school, highlighting the challenges facing girl-child education in the state. While many factors contribute to this, according to findings in this report, the low number of female teachers, female principals, and female administrators in Gombe schools is undermining girls’ education.
Data from the State Ministry of Education shows that girls make up 44.6% of primary school enrolment and 41.5% in junior secondary schools. That means more than half of school-age girls in the state are out of school. The figure drops further to 38.5% in senior secondary schools, instead of rising or holding steady.
“When you come to the North East, Gombe is first on the list of children roaming the streets. We call them out-of-school girls,” said Amina Haruna Abdul, State Project Coordinator for the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE).
Other stakeholders also blamed the low representation of women in teaching and school administration for the slow progress in girls’ education over the years.
Barrister Martha Daniel, a female lawyer and women’s activist in the state, said there is a problem with the representation of women in principal positions.
She argued that having women lead schools can improve enrolment and retention of girls.
She lamented that women are usually only allowed to be principals in girls’ boarding schools, and said that is not enough. “The boys need to see women serving as principals too so that when they grow up, they will not oppose women holding big positions,” she said.
Daniel called for an urgent review of the state education sector plan to include the appointment of more female principals.
“When you talk about female principals, that is where the problem comes in. We need female principals in our secondary schools, not just vice principals. We need role models. When I see a woman in a position, I feel more comfortable. It can enhance enrolment and retention of girls in schools in northern Nigeria. But most times when the girls see that it is always a man who is the principal, when they are confronted with issues, they can’t open up. So that we don’t leave the girl child behind, it is important that we increase the number of female principals we have, particularly in Gombe State,” she told our correspondent.
This reporter’s findings show a wide gap between the number of female teachers and principals compared to men. Data from the State Ministry of Education indicates that out of 18,878 teachers in government primary and secondary schools, 6,984 are female – 37%. Men make up the remaining 63%. The data also shows only 9 female principals.
Halima Mahadi, North East Zonal Coordinator of the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education For All (CSACEFA), said recruiting more female teachers is crucial and should be included in the state’s new education sector plan.
She noted that even in girls’ schools where a woman is principal, “only the principal is female and all other teachers are males.”
Ali Baba Dalhatu, State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), said there is a Female Teachers Scheme in the MoU between UBEC and the state government to give qualified female teachers on training permanent and pensionable appointments every two years.
He expressed optimism that this would help female teachers outnumber males in the near future.
Fatima Ali Baba, Principal of Government Girls Mega College, Doma, said recruiting more female teachers would motivate girls.
“Female teachers are different from male teachers in terms of counselling and guiding students. A student will feel free to express her mind to a female teacher, whether she teaches science or arts. But if it is a male teacher, a female student will not feel comfortable even to ask questions where she doesn’t understand a topic,” she said.
An analysis of the education sector plan used in the state for years shows gaps in gender responsiveness, which have slowed progress in girl-child education.
Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed, Head of the Education Management Information System in the Ministry of Education, said the previous plan failed to address gender issues critically, but the newly developed plan prioritizes gender equality and parity.
The cabal reports that UNICEF’s Bauchi field office, which covers Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Adamawa, and Taraba states, has reviewed and developed a comprehensive State Education Sector Plan and State Education Sector Operational Plan to address gaps in Gombe’s previous education plans.
Amina Haruna Abdul added that AGILE, a state government project supported by the World Bank, will provide second-chance education, training, materials, and registration for out-of-school girls to acquire skills and education.
Responding to the issue of low numbers of female teachers and principals, Commissioner for Education Aishatu Maigari said the narrative is changing.
“We are now changing the narrative. Because of His Excellency the Governor’s policy, I have directed that where a female is well equipped to be a school administrator, let her be appointed. Let’s encourage the women. So we have more female principals and more female head teachers than we met,” she said.
Our correspondent observed that a gender-responsive education sector plan can address the shortage of female teachers and principals in the state, and in turn encourage girls’ enrolment and retention in schools.