Gender equity in education remains a pivotal global priority aimed at securing equal educational opportunities for all children, regardless of gender. It emphasizes not only access but also the fair treatment of girls and boys throughout the entirety of their educational journey, ensuring equitable completion rates and empowerment within learning environments (Limaj & Strori,
2022). The absence of gender equity in education constitutes a significant barrier to societal progress, impeding dynamic development not only within individual countries but across the world. This global challenge reflects systemic disparities between boys and girls in accessing and benefiting from education (Limaj & Strori, 2022).
Achieving gender equality is fundamental to socio-economic advancement and forms an essential component of international development frameworks, including the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa’s Agenda 2063 (Oshaba, 2024). Despite concerted multisectoral efforts to bridge the gender gap, Nigeria continues to grapple with pronounced regional and gender disparities in educational participation and attainment (Adedigba et al., 2021). The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) (2011) highlights that the Gender Parity Index (GPI)—the ratio of girls to boys enrolled at various educational levels—consistently reveals fewer girls in schools, with a disproportionate number of out-of-school children being female.
This disparity is particularly acute in Northern Nigeria, where socio-cultural, economic, and institutional barriers persistently hinder girls’ education, undermining the country’s efforts to realize SDG 4, which advocates for inclusive and equitable quality education. This essay critically examines the barriers to gender equity in education in Northern Nigeria and evaluates solutions that can accelerate progress toward achieving sustainable development through the empowerment of girls.
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- Samson Okelarin (Autor:in), 2024, Gender Equity in Education in Northern Nigeria. Barriers and Solutions in Achieving SDG 4 for Girls, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1597675
