20,000 out-of school girls, women go back to school in Sokoto

Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

About 20,000 out-of-school girls and women will be assimilated into the formal school system in Sokoto State, under the European Union/United Nations Spotlight Initiative Second Chance Education for Women and Girls.
The National Coordinator of the Grassroots Entrepreneurship Skills Acquisition, Initiative, Cynthia Obazee, stated this at a stakeholders’ consultation meeting on Acceleration of Second Chance Education for Women and Girls held in Sokoto.
The National Coordinator said GESA was contracted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to implement the project in Sokoto, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Cross River and Lagos states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory.
Obazee said that GEZA, in collaboration with the Agency for Mass Education, under the Ministry of Education, and other relevant government agencies, would implement the Second Chance Education for Women and Girls in Sokoto North and Binji Local Government Areas.
She added, “This project aims at reaching out to out-of-school children, including those living with disabilities, victims of forced early marriages, people living with HIV and orphans.
“The 2015 Survey of the National Bureau of Statistics shows that 462,164 out-of- school children live in Sokoto State and two-third of this data are women and girls.
“We should stand up for women and girls’ rights to education. We are all expected to reach out to everybody and leave no one behind.”
The Spotlight Project Manager, Mr Shadrach Uloko, urged all stakeholders including government, traditional rulers, community leaders, religious groups, women organisations, youth groups, the civil society organisations to support the implementation of the project.