Education

Stakeholders Unite to Tackle Gender Inequality in Oyo Schools

By Web News 471

By Titilayo Kupoliyi

Addressing gender inequality in the education sector requires collective effort.
This was the submission of stakeholders at the Oyo School Girls General Assembly, OYSGA, organised by a non governmental organisation, Mentor
ing Assistance for Youth and Entrepreneurs Initiative, MAYEIN, in commemoration of the international girl child day.
It was the gathering of students, policy makers and other key stakeholders on promoting girl child education.
The programme had representatives from Ten Public Secondary Schools as participants and Six from Private Secondary Schools as observers, all from Oyo State.


Participating schools were Samuel Adegbite, Community High School Ajara, St. Louis, Poly High School, Humani Alaga, Oba Akinbiyi, Community Secondary School, Ojoo High School, Mount Olivet and Bishop Onabanjo.
While Ibadan International School, Ijokodo High school Abiodun Metropolitan, Valencia college and The Vale College were observers.

OYSGA which was in two parts, had an approach of in-depth capacity building for 100 schoolgirls, followed by a General Assembly where 10 schoolgirls delegates chronicled challenges faced in their schools.

Some of challenges highlighted included inadequate toilet facilities, non functioning library, non-availability of computer systems, non availability of qualified counsellors and lack of extra curricular activities amongst others.

Three of the students who spoke with Radio Nigeria said the programme was educative and appreciated the organizers.


Commenting, The Executive Director of the organisation, Mrs Ewa Orowale noted that the event also served as the closing session of the school project tagged “Girls in Education Dialogues”.
“It is a project for school girls to know their rights and exercise their agency in education decision making which ensures inclusive and qualitative education for all”.


Policy makers in attendance included Two House of Assembly members representing Ibadan North I and Ibadan North East, Ministry of Education and Women Affairs officials, lawmakers, community leaders and religious leaders, parents, teachers and other key stakeholders in education to discuss the needs and challenges of schoolgirls in the state. 
Resolutions drawn from the Assembly were 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 keynote address was delivered by Professor Omolara Campbell, the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Leadcity University while the Presiding Chairperson of the General Assembly was Olori Adelayo Oriekun, a seasoned lawyer and the Alternate Chairperson of the NBA Women’s Forum, who represented the Nigeria Bar Association, Oyo State Chapter.
To open the Plenary session, a formal address was delivered by Justice Adenike Adeeyo, Head of Oyo State Family Court representing the Chief Justice of Oyo State.

MAYEIN launched its Girls in Education Dialogues project in 2022 after a noticeable gap in access and inclusion in education policies in Oyo State. 
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.
The theme for 2025 International Day of the girl child is ‘The Girl I am, The Change I Lead, Girls on the frontlines of crisis”.

Highlights of the event was presentation of certificate to participants, schools and group photographs.

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Education

Inclusive education for girls imperative for national development- MAYEIN

By Web News 550

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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