Report of a survey on the impact of COVID-19 has suggested that there may be a drastic drop in the number of girls from schools across the North-east area of Nigeria, a region badly devastated by effects of prolonged insurgency.
This hint was contained in a study’s report on the Impact of COVID-19 on Girls’ Education in the North-east, recently launched by Connected Development (CODE), in collaboration with the Malala Fund.
Specifically, caregivers in rural areas of Adamawa state appeared certain that the girls in their care would not be returning to school due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The report further stated that many of the girls interviewed had doubts that they would be allowed to continue their education, while a percentage of the girls were certain they would be getting married in a short while.
In the post-COVID-19 impact survey report, CODE, in a statement provided weekend through its communications associate, Adaora Okoye said: “In some cases, cultural and traditional barriers are preventing girls from returning to school; girls may be less preferred to return to school as opposed to their male counterparts due to the male-child preference system. Girls are also more at risk of being married off or undergo female genital mutilation (FGM)”.
As a way forward, Chief Executive of CODE and the Malala Fund Education Champion, Mr. Hamzat Lawal, called on governments at all levels to make a paradigm shift to encourage greater girl child education.
“The future of our world is a deliberate investment in the younger generation, particularly girls. To educate girls is to empower a nation. Government must proactively set up a gender-responsive plan for school resumption, in the wake of the pandemic”, he said.
Lawal named some of the suggested gender-responsive measures to include providing more funds for education and ensuring every community has a female secondary school, provision of hand washing points, other WASH facilities, and personal protective equipment amongst others.
The research, according to CODE, revealed that “the pandemic exposed girls to increased shortcomings and challenges that already exist in the education system, including sexual harassment linked to gender-based violence, child marriage, harmful norms, inadequate teachers and WASH facilities.”
“These factors also kept a good number of girls out of school pre-COVID”, it said.
Niger lawmakers quarantined
In a related development, Speaker Niger state House of Assembly, Bawa Wuse, and Clerk of the Assembly, Mohammed Kagara, have gone into isolation after testing positive for COVID-19.
Blueprint learnt that all the lawmakers and principal staff have gone into quarantine as the virus barged at the Assembly in its second wave across the country.
A close source at the Assembly said most of the tests conducted on the lawmakers returned negative, except that of the Speaker and the Clerk, adding that the duo were however responding to treatment.
In recent days, it was further learnt, the spike had resulted in several deaths, including that of a former Head of Service (HOS) which occurred Saturday.
The development has sent jitters down the spine of staffers of the Assembly who now live in fear of possible affliction.
The state government has however directed workers to stay home from Monday (today) while all schools were shut since Friday.
Kaduna workers
Also, Kaduna state government has directed all civil servants below Grade Level 14 to work from home as from Monday, 21st December, 2020, subject to directives or summons by their supervisors when their services are required.
A statement issued Sunday by the governors’ Special Adviser Media and Communication, Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, said the Head of Service would issue service-wide updates as required.
He explained that Governor Nasir el-Rufai has signed and authorised new regulations to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Kaduna state with effect from Monday.
“It is mandatory to wear facemasks outside the house. Organisations and individuals that allow people into their premises have the responsibility to enforce the ‘no mask, no entry mandate.’ Facemasks should be worn to cover both the nose and mouth.
“Large gatherings are prohibited; businesses must provide thermometers for temperature checks, and sanitizers or hand-washing equipment and physical distancing measures within all facilities. Places of worship must enforce facemasks, provide sanitisers and ensure physical distancing. The number of worshippers will be capped. Congregational worship should not exceed one hour,’’ Adekeye added.
The statement further warned that “transport operators must reduce capacity to not more than two passengers per row and not more than 50% of capacity. Supermarkets and providers of personal services such as hair dressing and barbing salons can remain open, but service providers and customers must use facemasks and limit the number of persons they admit and serve at any time.
“Hotels can remain open, but their restaurants and bars can offer only room service. Event centres, night clubs, gyms and bars and lounges are to close until further notice. Restaurants are restricted to takeaway services only. All schools will remain closed until it is deemed safe to reopen.”
“The state government calls for collective action with citizens to curb the infections without having to resort to extraordinary measures like a lockdown. The government believes that mass compliance with Covid-19 prevention protocols should suffice to help reduce the rate of infections,’’ he said.
“COVID-19 prevention measures are outlined in the FORWARD campaign, which entails the mandatory to wear facemasks when outside the house; observing physical distancing and maintaining a proper respiratory hygiene,” he added.
