Insufficient Schools In Northern Nigeria Fuelling Child Marriage Says Sanusi

Insufficient schools in northern Nigeria fuelling child marriage says Sanusi. Muhammadu Sanusi II, the emir of Kano, has attributed the persistence of child marriage in parts of northern Nigeria on the failure of government to provide adequate schools and structured opportunities for young girls after primary education.

Sanusi made the remarks on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘The Morning Brief’.

He featured alongside Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, the Obi of Onitsha, and Haliru Yahaya Ndanusa, the Emir of Shonga, in a discussion on culture, education and social reform.
Sanusi said while public discourse often focuses on child marriage, the structural conditions that push families into such decisions are frequently ignored.

The emir said many girls complete primary education at a very young age, with no pathway for further schooling or skills development.

“There’s no secondary school, there’s no skill centre, there are no provisions for her life,” he said.
He said in such circumstances, poor families are often driven by fear rather than cultural preference when marrying off young girls.

“We’re talking about child marriage, but you go to some parts of the north, there’s a primary school and that’s it,” he said.

“Between 11 and 18, what arrangements have you made for her? The poor man basically finds that she’s 12 or 13; he’s afraid that she can get pregnant on the road, and the next young man that comes, he marries her off.
Sometimes these cultures basically reflect poverty.”
The emir criticised urban perspectives that ignore rural realities, pointing out that roads are often unsafe, schools are distant or non-existent, and local government services are lacking.

“It’s easy to blame culture. It’s easy to blame a victim. But the government has not provided the schools,” he said.

Sanusi said according to the constitution, every child is entitled to an education.
“So if you take a child out of school you’re supposed to have committed an offence,” he added.

The monarch, however, questioned the practicality of enforcing such laws when the state itself has failed to meet its obligations.
“But how many people have ever been arrested for taking a child out of school? None of them,” he said.

Sanusi

He said the reason enforcement is non-existent is because government has not provided the necessary schools to accommodate children, especially in rural communities.

The emir said addressing child marriage require more than moral arguments or cultural condemnation, adding that government must invest in education and social infrastructure to give young girls viable alternatives.

NTI Releases 13,710 Pending PGDE, NCE Certificates: Kaduna

NTI releases 13,710 pending PGDE, NCE certificates: Kaduna. He said certificates for the Bachelor Degree programmes (BDPs) will also be available for collection next week.

The National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, has released 13,710 pending certificates for Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) and the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE).

This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Kaduna by Yusha’u Ahmed, the institute’s head of public relations and protocol unit.

He said, “Therefore, the Institute is calling those concerned to contact its offices in states across the country with the required documents and observed procedure for collection.
”The certificates for the Bachelor Degree programmes (BDPs) will also be available for collection next week.”

According to the break down from the Institute’s Academic Records Division of Registry Department, 6,954 PGDE certificates, covering the period 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, in affiliation with the National Open University of Nigeria(NOUN) had so far been released.

Mr Ahmed added, “There are also 445 PGDE certificates for Post-Graduate Diploma in Education, in affiliation with Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; 119 PGDE certificates in affiliation with the University of Ilorin.
“The Institute had in addition, released 6,192 NCE certificates for the year 2023.

“The Director and Chief Executive of the National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna, Prof. Sadiya Sani-Daura, has expressed commitment and determination to solve the lingering pending certificates issue once and for all.
“The delay in the issuance of the certificates was due to challenges that have now been resolved.

“The National Teachers’ Institute, Kaduna remains steadfast in the discharge of its mandate as a teacher education Institute and once again reiterates its commitment to serving its clientele, which are primarily the students of the Institute.”
According to Mr Ahmed, the Institute assures all the stakeholders, students, both graduates and those undergoing its programmes at various levels.

NTI Releases 13,710 Pending PGDE, NCE Certificates

He continued, “That it has renewed its responsibility of delivering quality and exceptional education through the distance learning technique and the use of modern technologies as obtained globally in similar institutions around the world.

“NTI wishes to appreciate all the stakeholders for their patience and support.”

Ebonyi: Government Sends 47 Students To UK On Scholarship

Ebonyi: Government sends 47 students to UK on scholarship. The governor urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the state.

No fewer than 47 beneficiaries on Monday departed Ebonyi for the United Kingdom on scholarship with Governor Francis Nwifuru describing their sojourn as a bold step towards human capital investment.

Mr Nwifuru said during the beneficiaries’ departure from the Chuba Okadigbo airport, Ezza, that the prosperity of the state depended on deliberate commitment to youth development.
The governor urged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of the state to achieve the overall aim of the investment.
“This event is not just about boarding a flight but destiny taking flight.

“This is about hope leaving the shores of Ebonyi to soar into the future,” he said.
He noted that the scholarship scheme was one of the most financially demanding interventions of his administration, only next to major infrastructure projects.

“We faced strong opposition on it at inception due to its economic pressures.
“Several people called for its suspension, arguing that its resources should be channeled towards roads, hospitals construction among other pressing needs.

“We would however, be mortgaging the future of Ebonyi if we fail to invest in the youths,” he said.
Mr Nwifuru noted that that the programme aligned with his administration’s People’s Charter of Needs mantra which places human capital development at the peak of governance.

“This initiative is deeply personal as the beneficiaries are being offered opportunities I and many others never had.

Government Sends 47 Students To UK On Scholarship

“This venture is aimed at making the path easier for the next generation as every fund spent on it is a collective sacrifice of traders, civil servants, artisans and taxpayers,” he said.
The chairman of the Ebonyi Scholarship Board, Chaka Nweze, said the beneficiaries’ selection process was based strictly on merit.

“We concentrated on first class but due to prevailing developments, considered those with Second Class Upper classification (2:1) CGPA 3.0 and above.

“43 other beneficiaries would travel later as they are still awaiting visa clearance.
‘”The beneficiaries signed a bond to return to Nigeria and serve Ebonyi for five years,” he said.

He noted that the beneficiaries would work at the educational institutions being inaugurated in the state and can pursue personal sojourns after the five years.