A non-governmental organisation, Mentoring Assistance for Youths and Entrepreneurs Initiative (MAYEIN), has launched a girls’ inclusion programme which will enable schoolgirls in Oyo State to acquire communication, leadership, and policy-making skills.

The founder and Executive Director of the organisation,  Edem Ossai, made this known recently, in Ibadan, on the occasion of the 2022 International Day of the Girl-child with the theme: ‘Our time is now – our rights, our future’. 

In her address, Ossai noted that the programme tagged ‘Oyo School Girls General Assembly’ − styled after the United Nations (UN) General Assembly − was influenced by the findings of the study on the Oyo State government School-on-Air programme launched in response to the COVID-19 lockdown.

“Through this General Assembly, it is hoped that the aim of realising a third transformation – safe spaces for girl-led advocacy to different stakeholders and decision-makers in different spheres and levels of education, resulting in new champions who act publicly in support – will be achieved,” she said.

Ossai stated that the invited hundred schoolgirls from ten schools in Ibadan, who were delegates at the event, represented the voices of millions of girls across Oyo State and have been consulted to gather their feedback on what constitutes some of the most pressing issues in their schooling.

The father of the day, Oloye Lekan Alabi, who represented the Olubadan Council of Chiefs, described the students as ladies of today who will become leaders of tomorrow. He tasked them to be confident and hardworking.

The presiding committee of the General Assembly, comprised Ambassador Yemi Farounbi − who was the Presiding Chairperson − and Mrs Funke Oga , Seyi Adisa, and Mrs Ette,

At the event the event, there was a panel section, which was moderated by Zainab Sanni, a broadcast journalist with Agidigbo 88.7 FM, Ibadan. Other members of the panel were Mr Aderibigbe (Ministry of Education representing the Commissioner of Education); senior lecturer and director of the Women’s Research and Documentation Centre (WORDOC) at the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Dr Sharon Omotoso; the director of the Education Advancement Centre and president of School-on-Air Africa, Dr Muyiwa Bamgbose; the founder and director of Vale College, Mrs Funsho Adegbola.

In general, the panel discussed fundamental issues affecting the girl-child and proffered possible solutions to them. Some of the issues raised included, but were not limited to: how to get girls involved in matters affecting their education and well-being, education in emergency for girls, gender-based violence at home and in the society, factors that mitigate the participation of girls in STEM education, and girls and sporting activities.

The panel members agreed that laws and policies that protect the girl-child should be properly implemented through a good framework that girls can have easy access to. They enjoined the girls to understand and exercise their agency, and to have confidence in themselves. They also charged parents, the society, and boys to take the girl-child seriously.

Sanni, ended the panel by emphasising that more opportunities for girls does not mean less opportunities for boys, adding that “the opportunities are equal for all genders.” 

The invited schools were: St. Anne’s School, Ojoo High school, Ijokodo High School, Ikolaba High School, Urban Day Secondary School, Methodist High School, St. Theresa College, Queens School, Wesley College, and Oluyole State Grammar School.

The speakers of each school delivered paper on the challenges girls face while getting an education. The schools, the speakers and the topics discussed were as follows:

Busayo Adebayo of St. Anne’s School, ‘Bullying and gender-based violence’; Omowunmi Akinola of Ojoo High School, ‘Sanitation’; Abimbola Mabel of Ijokodo High School, ‘Environmental pollution’; Victoria Ajao of Ikolaba High School, ‘Infrastructure: poor classroom and laboratory facilities’; Ewaoluwa Wuraola of Urban Day Secondary School, ‘Poor infrastructure: library facilities’; Damilola Adedayo of Methodist High School, ‘Sports and extracurricular activities’; Inioluwa Familusi of St. Theresa College, ‘Digital literacy’; Olamma Odim of Queens School, ‘Science  Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for girls’; Precious Adedayo of Wesley College, ‘Curriculum gaps and teaching approaches’; Adebimpe Olatunji of Oluyole State Grammar School, ‘Sanitation: mobile toilets’.

At the end of the presentations, the chairperson of the Assembly, Ambassador Farounbi, read the resolutions and recommendations from the delegates presentations and the Assembly agreed to all the recommendations.

Edem Ossai stated that at the end of the event, the summary of the resolutions, will be drawn up into a formal document, which will be duly forwarded to the Office of the Oyo State Governor as well as disseminated to various key authorities in the State − including the Commissioners for Education and Women Affairs, as well as the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly.

Also present at the events were policy makers, education planners, lawmakers in the Oyo State House of Assembly, media practitioners, school providers, representatives of the Ibadan traditional ruling council, parents, teachers, and students.