The First Lady of Nigeria, Remi Tinubu, has advocated for an Educational System that is gender aware, eradicates prejudices, and promotes equity. She mentioned this During the #WeAreEqual Campaign launch in Angola, organized by the Organization of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD). The campaign was themed “Role of Education in Achieving Gender Equality as a Means to Combat Child and Youth Violence”. According to Mrs. Tinubu, education has a significant impact on how attitudes, ideas, and conduct are shaped from a young age.
According to her, there will be a change in society attitudes when gender equity is deeply rooted in our educational system, teaching boys and men to revere and regard women and girls as equals, thereby lowering their tendency for acts of violence. She noted that the #WeAreEqual campaign has chosen education as its focal point and has embraced the Alternative High School for Girls particularly. She said that education continues to constitute a vital part of any forward-thinking society and pointed out that teachings should incorporate activities aimed at challenging the idea of gendered roles.
Women encouraged to keep speaking out for the cause.
She bemoaned the prevalence of gender-based and domestic violence, particularly the acts of Rape and defilement, stating that an enlightened and educated person would not engage in such behaviour. According to her, education is about more than just imparting knowledge and abilities; it’s also about establishing concepts like empathy, respect, and compassion. Mrs. Tinubu further urged all Africans to participate in the campaign on behalf of the youth, children, and future generations. Speaking, the president of Angola, Joao Lourenco, encouraged women to keep speaking out for the cause.
Nigeria’s First Lady has been proactive in the advocacy for a gender-sensitive educational system in the nation, with multiple statistics outlining the current wide gap. In Nigeria, the percentage of boys and girls enrolled in primary education is roughly 71% and 68%, respectively. The disparity is more clear at the secondary level, where just 44% of girls are enrolled compared to 50% of boys. For both boys and girls, the primary school completion rate is approximately 69% and 64%, respectively. This falls to 42% for boys and 38% for girls at the secondary level.
Existing educational frameworks can prolong inequality.
About 50% of girls have been victims of gender-based violence in some capacity in Nigeria schools, which raises the dropout rate for female students. The First Lady claims that the existing educational framework frequently ignores the unique needs of boys and girls, which can contribute to the prolonging of gender inequality. Her persistent call is a part of larger campaigns to close the gender gap in education and advance an inclusive system that takes into account the particular demands and difficulties that each gender faces.
This is consistent with international endeavours to accomplish gender parity in education, as indicated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. In her numerous public presentations, including her most recent remarks, the First Lady has stressed the significance of putting in place educational policies and procedures that are sensitive to the disparities in the difficulties that boys and girls encounter. Her campaigning draws attention to the necessity of laws that encourage girls’ education and create safe learning environments.
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Mrs. Tinubu has also pushed for more funding for education, especially for initiatives that empower girls, such as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, career training, and leadership development. Her objective is to address the wide range issue of female under-representation in science and Technology courses, with only approximately 30% of female students enrolled in STEM-related subjects in higher education. Her advocacy also supports more general national and global objectives, such the SDG5 and Agenda 2063 of the African Union, which both aimed at ensuring gender equality and the Empowerment of all women and girls.