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Girls’ education statistics have shown remarkable improvements over the past few years, but, unfortunately, given the extremely weak starting point, they are still well off the mark for a nation that hopes to create a socioeconomic miracle. The Federal Ministry of Education and Technical Training’s Girls’ Education Statistics and Trends Report 2023-24 shows that, despite historic progress on many fronts, there is still a lot to worry about, most notably the stubborn stagnation of many data points that need to improve dramatically.
The primary school completion rate for girls has surged from 75% to 89% — a clear return on investment in infrastructure, given that 96% of schools now have permanent buildings and 92% have functional toilets, making them more attractive for parents. Furthermore, the National Achievement Test (NAT) 2023 confirms that girls are excelling academically, outperforming boys across core subjects such as English, Mathematics, and Science.
But despite these little victories, the report also notes several failures, like the fact that 26.2 million children, including 13.4 million girls, are out of school. That is an unsustainably high figure, and turning it around will be impossible without increasing funding for education. Funding has rather been decreasing, and 94% of what is available is consumed by staff salaries, leaving almost nothing to invest in improving facilities or incentivising attendance.
Another issue is transitioning the girls who do go to school into working women. Despite all their academic achievements, female labour force participation is only 24%. While it is true that some women choose family over work, many are forced by their parents or husbands to stay at home against their will. Even highly qualified women, such as doctors, face these cultural hurdles. This ‘tradition’ is kneecapping our national potential.
