Written by Bernard Otu Assim-ita
When her parents told her she would be married off, Fatima was just 13. As wedding preparations took over, her dream of becoming a teacher faded. Early marriage wasn’t just a tradition in her community—it was a survival strategy. With rising living costs and limited job opportunities for women, investing in a girl’s education was often seen as a risk, while marriage offered the promise of financial security for struggling families.
“I wanted to stay in school, but they said education wouldn’t feed me,” Fatima recalled.
Her story is one of many in communities where gender inequality is deeply rooted in economic realities. With only 4% of Nigerian women in political leadership and significant disparities in access to education and employment, many families don’t see the value of educating their daughters. Without women in decision-making spaces, policies that could create real change—such as stronger protections against child marriage and better access to education—remain under-prioritized.
Mercy Abalaku, Program officer EVA Nigeria, speaking at one of the outreaches.
Despite efforts by the government to boost school enrollment, many challenges persist. The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has implemented policies to increase access, yet poor infrastructure, inadequate teacher training, and cultural biases continue to push girls out of school. In northern Nigeria, early marriage remains a significant factor, with 43% of girls married before age 18, forcing them to drop out of school. Additionally, budget allocations for education remain below UNESCO’s recommended 15-20% of national expenditure, further straining the sector.
To sustain the government’s efforts and create a more equitable society for women and girls, Education as a Vaccine (EVA), with support from the Malala Fund, has been implementing a series of projects across communities in Kaduna, Ebonyi, Akwa-Ibom, Plateau, Gombe, FCT, Benue, and Ibadan. One of these initiatives, Fostering Accountability for Girls’ Education (FAGE), focuses on empowering communities to take ownership of education governance and demand accountability through advocacy, storytelling, and community drama. Recently, through four community outreaches in Bomo, Dogorawa, Hanwa, and Muchiya, EVA mobilized parents, traditional and religious leaders, and educators to demand transparency, accountability, and policies that prioritize girls’ education. Participants learned about how corruption, mismanagement, and lack of transparency impact access to education.
One of the key aspects of the outreach was engaging stakeholders in open discussions about the gaps in education policies and governance. Parents shared personal struggles, such as the burden of school levies despite government promises of free education. Teachers highlighted the lack of learning materials and infrastructure, which makes it difficult to provide quality teaching in a conducive environment for learning. Religious and traditional leaders expressed concerns over the rising number of school dropouts due to child marriage and economic hardship.
Mallam Aliyu, parent to Saratu, who had never thought about school budgets before, was shocked to learn how much funding was allocated to education in his local government compared to what was actually visible in schools. “I always assumed we had no money, but now I understand that resources exist—we just need to ensure they reach our children by demanding accountability,” he remarked.
This realization was a turning point for many. It sparked discussions about how parents and teachers could work together to monitor school projects, funding, and government commitments to ensure resources are being effectively utilized.
Addressing the gender divide, a crucial focus of the outreach was gender-sensitive accountability. Through storytelling and real-life examples, participants reflected on the challenges girls face in completing their education. Many community members admitted that cultural norms and economic pressures often force families to prioritize boys’ education over girls’. Others spoke about the impact of child marriage, period poverty, and unsafe school environments as significant barriers to girls staying in school.
Mallama Hauwa shared her experience: “My daughter had to drop out because we couldn’t afford sanitary pads. I didn’t know that this was something that could be advocated for. Now, I understand that we have the power to ask for proper menstrual hygiene support in our schools.”
These conversations were powerful and necessary. By highlighting these challenges, the outreach activities mobilized community members to advocate for policies that support girls’ education, such as improved school infrastructure, menstrual hygiene support, and scholarships for girls at risk of dropping out.
The most inspiring outcome of these community outreaches was the shift from Awareness to Action. In one of the communities, Bomo, a group of girls came together to form an “Adolescents for Accountability” committee, pledging to regularly visit schools, track education policies, and report inconsistencies with the support of their committee leaders. The good news is that a religious leader is also committed to using his platform to promote the importance of girls’ education in weekly sermons.
A Call for Gender Responsive Education is not just about classrooms and textbooks—it is about justice, fairness, equality, and opportunity. When communities are informed and engaged, they become powerful advocates for change. The success of these four community outreaches proves that when people understand their rights and responsibilities, they are more willing to take action to secure a better future for their children.
As we move forward, we call on policymakers, community leaders, educators, civil society, and individuals to continue supporting efforts that ensure transparency and accountability in education governance. Every girl deserves a quality education, and by amplifying community voices, we are taking one step closer to making that a reality.
