Kaduna State Government says  girls in boarding schools under its free education policy will still pay N 7,000 for their feeding per term while it will foot the remaining costs.

Mrs Elizabeth David, made the clarification at a four-day meeting with stakeholders in the education sector on Tuesday in Zaria to sensitise parents and guardians to their role in the government’s free education policy for the girl-child.

David, who is the Gender Focal Person in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, told the meeting that the policy was completely free for girls in day secondary schools.

According to her, the explanation became necessary following inquiries from parents and guardians on their girls in boarding schools being asked to pay some money for unspecified reasons.

Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Ja’afaru Sani had earlier explained that the free education would cover 191,445 female students in the state’s public secondary schools as directed by Gov. Nasir El-Rufai.

Sani said that the implementation of the policy would cost the government N143.587 million per term and N430.791 million annually.

Mrs David said that a one-year maternity leave had been approved for married women and girls who got pregnant while in school to give birth and return to school to complete their education.

The official also identified some initiatives to encourage girl-child education in the state with support from various non-governmental and civil society organisations which had helped to return thousands of girls to school.

She said that 8,050 primary school girls had benefited from the Global Partnership for Education, adding that “it is  a World Bank grant to keep the girl-child in school and improve female teachers’ capacity.’’

“So far, 11,950 additional primary school girls have been selected from the poorest of the poor families. Keep your girl in school and the government will support you in educating her.”

Mrs David decried the increasing incidents of rape and sodomy in public primary and secondary schools in the state, saying that School-based Management Committees, Parents Teachers Associations and other relevant stakeholders to support government was set up to check the ugly trend.

“Apart from raping our pupils in primary schools by miscreants and elderly men, homosexuality is also becoming rampant in our boarding schools and the trend is alarming.

“Currently, a 16-year old boy, who was being sexually abused for years, is currently suffering from fistula with maggot coming out of his anus.

“Though he is being treated, his condition is very pathetic,” she added.

She called on parents and community leaders to report rapists to relevant authorities for prosecution.

“When rape happens, people don’t know what to do and where to go.

“There is a sexual assault trauma centre located at Gwamna Awan General Hospital, where you can take your child for treatment.

“There are also laws in place to prosecute rapists and child abusers, but we need evidence to prosecute culprits.

“Please when a girl is raped, do not bathe her, take her to the trauma centre for examination and treatment, and to extract evidence for prosecution, which could be lost when the victim is bathed,” the official said. (NAN)

– Nov. 6, 2018 @ 16:12 GMT |