Inclusive education for girls imperative for national development- MAYEIN

By Titilayo Kupoliyi

Inclusive education for girls and every child is imperative for national development.

This was the submission of stakeholders at a programme organised by a nongovernmental organisation, NGO, Mentoring Assistance for Youths and Entrepreneurs Initiative (MAYEIN) in commemorating the International Day of the Girl-child.

MAYEIN launched its Girls in Education Dialogues project in 2022 after a noticeable gap in access and inclusion in education policies in Oyo State. 

Since then, the organization has trained over 150 girls on knowledge of their rights, as well as learning to become self-advocates and exercising their agency in education decision-making.

The Program, which was in 3 folds, had an approach of capacity building for schoolgirls, followed by a General Assembly where schoolgirls dialogue with policymakers and implementers.

 Police makers in attendance included Ministry of Education officials, lawmakers, community leaders, parents, teachers and other key stakeholders in education to discuss the needs and challenges of schoolgirls in the state. 

Representatives were drawn from Oba Akinbiyi High School II, Methodist Secondary School, Favos, IMG Grammar School, Oje, St Brigid’s Secondary School, Ikolaba Grammar School, Community High School, Agbowo Bodija, Orogun Grammar School, Samuel Adegbite Grammar School, Ojoo High School Ibadan School for the Deaf, Ijokodo and Bodija International College.

Resolutions drawn from the Assembly were then presented as a policy document to the Oyo State Government and other stakeholders to enable them to address the issues raised by the schoolgirls.

The event featured a panel session with a representative of the Commissioner for Women Affairs Mrs Igein, the APC South Senatorial district Women leader, Mrs Fatima Sanni Hassan, as well as a UNICEF representative, Mr Tari Akon and the Co-founder of PatchPay, Mr Sanmi Adebunmi.

The presiding panel of the day was chaired by Dr Yemi Farounbi, former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Oloye Lekan Alabi, the Maye Olubadan, Dr Mosuro, founder, The Booksellers, Mrs Funsho Adegbola, founder, The Vale College and Mrs Helen Ojehomon, the President of Niger Wives Association of Nigeria as well as the representative of the Commissioner for Education, Ministry of Education Science and Technology.

The keynote address was given by a representative of the Oyo State Head of Service,  Mrs.Oyeyemi Ojo, Permanent Secretary/Inspector General of Education. 

Overall, the Organization urged the State Government, community leaders, parents and other NGOs to adopt a joint stakeholder approach in lending their voices to girls education and development.

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