Education stakeholders in Kano State are urging the state government to allocate a gender-responsive education budget aimed at reducing gender disparity and improving girls’ education in the region.
During a recent event organized by the Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI) under the Bridging Access to Girls Education (BAGE) project, supported by the Malala Fund, stakeholders emphasized the need for the government to allocate at least five percent of the total education budget specifically for girl-child education. They believe this allocation would significantly enhance girls’ access to education across the state.
Mohammed Bello, lead consultant at the event, pointed out the current absence of a systematic framework guiding gender-responsive education budgeting in Kano State. He highlighted findings from an assessment conducted by the African Centre for Innovative Research and Development, indicating a gender disparity gap of 0.8 to 0.9 between boys and girls in educational access.
Bello stressed the importance of establishing a gender-responsive framework in education to ensure sustainable progress towards gender equity in education.
Mohammed Sani, director of BCAI, reiterated the organization’s commitment to empowering girls, women, and young people in Nigeria and Africa, emphasizing their focus on enhancing access to education for girls in Kano State.