Education must be made equitably available to all youth regardless of gender. The Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Nigeria is diligently working to make this a reality in Kaduna State through its back-to-school educational initiative for vulnerable girls. Fostering collaborative partnerships with stakeholders is crucial to achieving a successful outcome. As such, activities undertaken in October 2024 to develop a baseline survey and strategic partnerships to build an advocacy team were aligned with the initiative’s first objective to collect and compile evidence-based data to support an effective advocacy strategy and sound policy recommendations.

GPF Nigeria hosts community discussions on education

Rise Up Nigeria leaders Abdul Ahmed and Ahmadu Shettima led the data collection and analysis activities. Efforts were concentrated in the three Senatorial Zones of Kaduna State, beginning with a questionnaire disseminated to twelve selected public secondary schools in each zone: Kafanchan in the southern zone, Zaria in the northern zone, and Kaduna North in the central zone. Overall, 36 schools were contacted, with the principal of each serving as a key participant who actively engaged with the project team in follow-up in-person sessions to further explore the information provided on the questionnaires.

Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) consisting of 15 parents and 15 students (enrolled and dropouts) in each zone supplemented the questionnaires and in-person sessions. Enhancing the research, the discussions highlighted the students’ social, economic, and logistical factors impacting their educational experiences bringing to the forefront various community needs and challenges.

Community participates in survey on education conducted by GPF Nigeria

Each of the three zones experienced several challenges, with increased government support and improved infrastructure frequently cited as ways to motivate students and their families. For example, financial hardship was the primary barrier in Kaduna Central, with parents’ inability to afford the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) fees leading to high student dropout rates. In addition, parents expressed a low awareness of the need for girls to become educated.

In Kafanchan, along with poverty and inadequate school infrastructure, security concerns were noted as deterrents to children’s attendance at school. Zaria also experienced significant drop-out rates due to the increased cost of living and inadequate government support for SSCE fees. Stakeholders stressed the need for improved infrastructure and skill-based education.

The successful compilation of comprehensive data from 36 public school principals provides valuable insight into the challenges faced by students in each Senatorial Zone in accessing the SSCE exam. Further, the qualitative data on economic, social, and infrastructure challenges provided by the 90 FGD participants offers unique insight into the barriers impacting students in completing their secondary education.

Participants listens in attentively

Knowledge is power. Not only did the data gathering and analysis provide a valuable understanding of the issues for the project team, but they also helped to inform parents and schoolchildren of barriers to education and the need for policy changes, especially as it relates to influencing the Kaduna State government to reinstate their funding for SSCE fees.

Collaboration is key to the ongoing effort to increase the number of students, particularly vulnerable girls who at times get lost in the shadows, to finish their secondary education. Diverse stakeholders, including school principals, students, and school dropouts, remain connected via a dedicated WhatsApp group. This allows a continuous flow of communication among the members, creating the ability to share information and foster a strong advocacy network.

Data gathering and analysis are just the beginning of efforts in this area. Planned activities include capacity building for the advocacy team to provide strategic communication, policy engagement, and public advocacy skills. In addition, a mass awareness campaign will be launched across the three Senatorial Zones seeking policy change for government support of SSEC fees. This includes partnerships with local media to share relevant stories and data from the research to create a widespread awareness of the challenges faced by students and their families.

Community participates in survey on education conducted by GPF Nigeria

Educating our youth is critical to their ability to achieve social cohesion and economic development. It provides the needed socialization, knowledge, and skills for them to become moral and innovative leaders in their communities and society. Advocating for policies that address financial and other challenges to motivate them to stay in school is everyone’s responsibility. Active community involvement that includes parents and children strengthens advocacy efforts and is essential to providing quality education for all youth, especially for vulnerable girls. Education forms the underlying foundation for peaceful coexistence.

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