August 29, (THEWILL) – The Borno State Government has taken delivery of 1,500 menstrual hygiene management (dignity) kits to boost the enrolment, attendance, and retention of crisis-affected girls in schools in the state.
The State Commissioner for Education, Science, Innovations and Technology, Engr. Lawan Wakilbe, disclosed this while receiving the delegation of Save the Children International led by Daniel Rotgakka, Education Project Coordinator, Education Cannot Wait, in Maiduguri, on Thursday.
Wakilbe, who said the government has achieved a significant milestone in its fight against out-of-school children, lamented that the lack of adequate provisions of dignity kits for girls has been a major challenge facing the programme.
He explained that the availability of dignity kits in schools sustains enrolment, saying his focus this school session would be the retention of girls in schools.
“I had the course last year to run and cry to the first lady of our state to advocate for the dignity of kids because what I saw as a father and as an education administrator was frightening due to the high level of poverty.
“Adolescent girls who are very sensitive must be taken care of because they cannot afford basic things to clean up. And that is the dangerous situation we find ourselves in,” Wakilbe lamented.
Speaking, Chachu Tadicha, the Deputy Director of Programme Operations, Programme SCI, said with funding from Education Cannot Wait, the SCI is implementing a 3-year Multi-Year Resilience Project in Borno state with the overall objective to increase access to quality and inclusive basic education for crisis-affected girls and boys in gender-responsive and safe schools in North-East Nigeria.
He reiterated that their vision is to ensure every child enjoys the right to survival, protection, development, and participation.
“We work with MDAs, CSOs, and tertiary institutions in the project locations to deliver these objectives by increasing enrolment, attendance, and retention of crisis-affected girls and boys in gender-responsive and safe schools, particularly for the girl child education.
“We are writing to express our commitment to support the education sector in Borno by donating 1,500 kitted/packaged dignity kits to the Ministry to support adolescent learners who may face difficulties in accessing these essential items resulting in school absenteeism and poor menstrual hygiene management practices.
“As an advocate of quality and holistic education, we believe that every individual deserves access to learning opportunities that can shape their future.”
I am Ladi Dapson, a general writer with thewill. I cover Borno and Yobe states respectively.
I based Maiduguri, Borno State Capital.
I can be reached via [email protected].
Very high and kind regards!
