The Kano State Government, in partnership with the Assisting, Caring and Empowering (ACE) Charity and supported by the Malala Fund, has launched evidence-based re-entry guidelines aimed at returning married adolescents and adolescent mothers to school.
The Head of Office of ACE Charity, Mrs. Eno Simon, disclosed this while briefing journalists after the official launch of the guidelines in Kano on Tuesday.
Simon said the guidelines were developed following a research conducted by ACE Charity, which found that 99 per cent of married adolescents in the state expressed a desire to return to school.
According to her, the findings demonstrate that marriage does not diminish girls’ aspirations for education, but that financial and social barriers often prevent them from continuing their studies.
She said the guidelines provide an evidence-based framework to support married adolescents and adolescent mothers to return to learning, remain in school and successfully complete their education.
“At the heart of today’s launch is the research that informed these guidelines. The study, conducted by ACE Charity with support from the Malala Fund, revealed that 99 per cent of married adolescents want to return to school.
“This demonstrates that marriage does not diminish girls’ aspirations for education. Rather, it is the barriers they face that prevent them from continuing their learning,” she said.
Simon identified the major barriers as financial hardship, childcare responsibilities, transportation costs, domestic duties and social stigma.
She added that most of the girls surveyed indicated they would require financial assistance, flexible learning opportunities and childcare support to successfully resume their education.
She also said many husbands expressed willingness to support their wives’ education if practical challenges such as affordability, childcare and flexible learning arrangements were addressed.
“They recognised that educating women strengthens families, improves children’s wellbeing and contributes to community development,” she said.
Simon explained that the re-entry guidelines were developed by the Kano State Ministry of Education with technical support from ACE Charity and funding from the Malala Fund.
She said the guidelines were informed by extensive consultations with education agencies, the Ministries of Education, Women Affairs, Planning and Budget, development partners, community and religious leaders, as well as married adolescents.
According to her, the document outlines practical strategies for implementation, including flexible learning pathways, strengthened learning centres, childcare and psychosocial support, facilitator training, community sensitisation and engagement, as well as active involvement of husbands, traditional and religious leaders and other male champions.
She added that the guidelines also establish monitoring mechanisms to track enrolment, retention, completion and transition outcomes, while clearly defining the responsibilities of relevant ministries, agencies, schools, community-based organisations, development partners, civil society organisations and the media.
Simon called on all stakeholders to support the implementation of the guidelines to ensure that every married adolescent and adolescent mother willing to continue her education is given the opportunity to do so.
She noted that the success of the initiative would be measured not by the publication of the guidelines, but by the number of married adolescents and adolescent mothers who return to school and complete their education.