A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Black Girls’ Dream Initiative (BGDI), has revealed that one in five girls of school age in Oyo State is not in school, making the State the highest with out-of-school children in South-western Nigeria.

The BGDI, in association with some education stakeholders in the State, made this known in Ibadan on Wednesday during a sensitisation workshop organised by the NGO, in partnership with Global Schools Forum and the IDF Foundation, and themed ‘Girls’ education in Oyo State: Our shared goal’.

The founder of BGDI, Karimot Odebode, described the number of out-of-school children in Oyo State as alarming and as a crisis that has to be urgently curbed by the government, schools, parents, traditional rulers, and other vital stakeholders in the state.

Odebode noted that though the government and other stakeholders are trying their best to send and keep children, especially the girl-child, in school, barriers such as poverty, early marriage, family responsibilities, and cultural expectations are marring their efforts.

Given this, she added that NGOs, such as BGDI, are working to reverse this trend by spotlighting the problem, engaging decision-makers, and opening doors for re-entry into the classroom because every girl deserves a second chance at learning.

She stated that BGDI, in its quest to ensure that more girls get quality education and remain in school, is aligning local education data with the challenges; collaborating with stakeholders to identify, engage, and reintegrate out-of-school girls; encouraging trackable reduction in dropout rates; and increasing enrolment, especially in underserved local governments in the State.

Odebode urged the government, schools, and parents to empower girls as future leaders. She explained how her organisation is doing this through their debate, mentorship programmes, sensitisation initiatives, and stakeholders’ workshops.

“We should make sure children are not just returning to school, but are returning with confidence, agency, and a sense of purpose; and also make sure we initiate and sustain long-term developmental impact that builds self-driven, educated citizens,” she said.

She further said: “We are the enablers of change. We need to move from conversation to action. Change happens when stakeholders act together. What we do today shapes the data tomorrow.”

The stakeholders, in the course of the workshop, identified and offered solutions to the main problems facing the girl-child’s education in Oyo State.

The Baale Sinko of Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State, Adeleke Waheed Mobolaji, and the Mogaji of Ogundele Compound, Labiran, Ibadan, Chief Ogunsina Oluseyi Oladebo emphasised that the government cannot train the girl-child alone and that the bulk of the training and education girls starts from the home, stressing that to encourage girls to go to school, their mothers needs to be properly empowered.

The two Ibadan-based traditional rulers, Adeleke and Oladabo, also urged society to support less-privileged students, especially girls, in their education, to ensure that no child of school age will be on the street hawking, idling, or committing crime, instead of being in school.

Some of the teachers and parents at the event, M. C. Ebike, Janet Adio, Fausat Boladale, Rejoice Adegoke, O. O. Ogundare, Peace Akinola, Dorcas Oyinloye, stressed that the security of female students in schools is important, and special attention should be given to them to encourage them to attend and remain in school.

They urged schools and teachers to be kind and proactive while dealing with female students, which will encourage them to learn. Furthermore, they advised the government to recruit trained and passionate teachers and empower them with the best resources to ensure students are inspired to return to school.

Opeyemi Lawal of Project Wabi Sabi, Adetokunbo Ikumoluyi of Hosec Foundation, and Opeyemi Adebisi of Teach for Nigeria stated that NGOs and governments have a lot to do to keep students in school, adding that the out-of-school challenge facing Oyo State could be addressed through sustainable partnership, investment in education, parents’ and guardians’ sensitisation, and students’ empowerment.

The convener of the event, Karimot Odebode, stated that the feedback and recommendations from the stakeholders regarding the theme and outcome of the sensitisation workshop will be submitted to the appropriate government authorities for policy formulation and implementation.