Kano State’s Girl-Child Education Policy wants to End Child Marriage

Kano State has implemented an education policy that seeks to end child marriage in the state.

The policy, implemented back in September, according to Guardian made primary and secondary school education free and compulsory for all children in the state.

The state governor, Umar Ganduje, speaking on Sunday at the 2019 Human Rights Summit/Award, with the theme, “Adopting Rights Based Approach in the Public Sector Sustainable Development Agenda,” shared why his administration went ahead with the policy.

According to ThisDay, the governor spoke about how the policy integrates the almajiri system with classroom education in the state, and how girls in the state now have to complete their secondary education before they are allowed to marry. He said:

The much talked about almajiri system is now being integrated with modern system of education. The girl-child education, you know the problems of marrying underage girls, but from our policy now, all our girls have to at least finish secondary education before they are married.

We provided free education for those nine children up to university level. Two more children have been recovered making 11.

The implication of this commission of inquiry is not only to recover the children, it’s not only for the punishment of those who were found guilty, but creating awareness for parents to take care of their children so that enabling environment is not provided for kidnappers.