Ebonyi Lawmaker, Nwachukwu Advocates For Improvement Of Girl Child Education

By Egede Sylvester, Abakaliki

The member representing Ohaozara East Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly,Hon. (Mrs) Lilian Chinwe Nwachukwu has advocated for improvement of girl child education. Mrs Nwachukwu made the appeal during the flag off of her pet project "Girl Child Education in Ohaozara East' with a 3day Advocacy and sensitization meeting where an elaborate communique on ways of improving girl child education was raised alongside lectures and sensitization visits to designated places.

Addressing the constituents at Romic Guest House, Okposi, Hon. Nwachukwu said the brain behind the project was to redress the inequality in the number of girl child and added that the stigma starts from birth as the cultural values attached to female child as insignificant in the family. She maintained that the training of a girl child should not be limited to Education alone , but to all other skills that would make them economically independent, socially viable and intellectually compatible.

The lawmaker added that the project is targeting both those that are in school,as well as, the drop outs and revealed that the programme would continue to function even as she leaves office. Also Speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of N& G Consulting Firm Limited and Specialist in Gender Development and Girl Child Education who's also a partner to Hon Nwachukwu pet project, Mrs Ngozichi Okorie highlighted the programmes drawn for the project to include advocacy,lectures,town hall meetings with stakeholders, Public enlightenment campaigns and visits to schools, churches, and designated places.

She said the plan was geared towards identifying where the problems of girl child education lies with the aim of the pet project of Hon Nwachukwu to address them. She maintained that evidence shows that the rate of transition of girl child from primary school to secondary school is lower, and with that the programme would be working towards the improvement. She further emphasized that various methodologies would be adopted through the involvement of Education stakeholders such as the Local Education Authority, Ministry of Education, members of NUT, School Principals and Head Teachers. In his own contribution ,Elder Ogbonaya Okoronkwo, Principal of Eziokposi High School advocated for more opportunities for the girl child under their care for any available educational grant. Also Mrs Nnenna Okereke, from Government Secondary School Okposi harped on the need for every school to have the guidance and counseling units, while Mr Obinna Okoronkwo called for the eradication of some cultural values which placed male child over female child. However, the advocacy meeting was followed with presentation of eight point communique by Mrs Odi Okereke which includes stepping down sensitization and enlightenment campaigns into the villages and Institutions, establishing girl clubs in schools, introduction of vocational/ life building skills for girls alongside with academics. Also, advocacy for Stakeholders in education industry to assist in the formation of education committees in the villages, establishment of guidance and counselling units in schools. which should be made efficient and confidential, call on philanthropists, NGO's and government come up with educational programmes and schemes in promoting girl child education, provision of avenues for drop out girl child to return to school and the creation of conducive environment for the girl child. Earlier, Mr MacDonald John Okorie the Special Assistant to the lawmaker, Comrade Emmanuel Chinwendu Ogbonaya, Personal Assistant to the honourable member and Mr Okorie Uneke all highlighted the importance of girl child education and eulogized the bold step taken by the lawmaker to address the problems hindering this all important development in the society. Meanwhile,the enlightenment campaign took the entourage to Seven Day Adventist Church Amene Ngbom District Ugwulangwu, Nkwo Ugwulangwu, Eke Okposi and Court Area Okposi, with Hon. Nwachukwu promising to assist any school that establishes girls club.