…calls for integration of Quranic schools

By Charles Agwam

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged the Bauchi State government to collaborate with School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) to ensure the success of the Girls’ Education Project (GEP Phase 3) in Bauchi.

In a media dialogue workshop held in Kano, the GEP 3 Output Consultant for UNICEF, Richard Sheyin said the SBMC programme which engages community leaders as development partners in education was formed to help reduce distance to schools, reduce direct costs on low-income families, and eliminate the opportunity cost of non enrolment of the girl child.

He stated that the programme will increase enrolment and retention of girls in basic education, improve capacity of teachers to deliver effective learning for girls and improve governance to strengthen girls’ education.

His words: “The factors that discourage enrolment of the girl child in communities are long-distance to schools, direct cost of sending the girl child to school and the opportunity cost of non-enrolment of the girl child.

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“But these challenges can be overcome if the government and other development partners strengthen community leaders through the School-Based Management Committee programme to ensure increased enrolment of the girl child, improved capacity of teachers to deliver effective learning for girls and improved governance to strengthen the education of the girl child.”

He noted that the partnership will help to create a conducive learning environment for the girl child, and increase the survival rate of the girl child up to grade 5 to 80 per cent.

He also stressed the need for Quranic schools to mainstream numeracy and literacy subjects into their curriculum, under the Integrated Quranic Schools (IQS) programme to provide increased access to quality education for children in the informal school sector.

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