‘Fear of abuse’ prevents 20,000 girls from going beyond junior secondary school in Yobe – Commissioner

The Yobe State Commissioner for Basic Education and Secondary Education, Muhammad Sani Idriss, said approximately 20,000 girls each year are unable to progress beyond junior secondary schools due to parental concerns regarding potential abuse.

Commissioner Idriss disclosed this during a conversation about the Yobe State Government’s plan to establish eight additional girls’ day senior secondary schools, aiming to promote girl child education.

He confirmed that these schools have already commenced operations, even in the absence of completed physical structures.

“Every year, around 20,000 girls fail to advance beyond junior secondary schools due to their parents’ fears of abuse or reluctance to have them study far from home. Therefore, these schools will address this problem,” he stated.

Chairman of the Yobe State Education Trust Fund (YETFund), Engr. MAK Abubakar, also shared his thoughts on the development. He emphasized that the project would not only increase the number of girls attending secondary schools but also alleviate the overcrowding issues in existing schools, ultimately reducing cases of abuse often observed in boarding schools.

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YETFund’s Chairman noted that the fund had provided essential equipment to 14 other schools constructed under the Buni administration. These include seven Mega Schools, each with 30 classrooms and a student capacity of 1,200, and seven smaller schools with 12 classes, accommodating approximately 800 students. With the addition of eight more schools, Governor Buni’s total school projects would reach 22, complementing the renovation of about 50 others.

“We may also need to initiate a pivotal training program to enhance the competence of teachers, encouraging them to perceive teaching as a fulfilling career,” he concluded.