 HOW CAN GENDER DESCRIMINATION BE ERADICATED IN EDUCATION?  Gender discrimination can be eradicated through intensive public education to change deep rooted harmful beliefs and practices.  WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REDUCING GENDER DISPARITY?  Reducing gender disparity is everybody's responsibility. This starts from parents, other family members, neighbours, community leaders, religious leaders and government at all levels  ARE THERE HEALTH BENEFITS IN GIRLS EDUCATION?  There are many health benefits, girls who are educated are able to take better care of their children, husband and other family members when they get married.  Source: 2007 SITAN UPDATE GIRLS EDUCATION

 WHAT IS NIGERIA GIRLS EDUCATION INITIATIVE (NGEI)?  The Nigeria Girls Education Initiative (NGEI) is a partnership between Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and UNICEF evolved to be a platform for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the goals of Education For All (EFA) and Universal Basic Education (UBE) as it relates to girls education in Nigeria.  WHAT IS GIRLS EDUCATION PROJECT (GEP)?  The Girls Education Project seeks to identify the factors responsible for discrimination in education against girls and address such factors by promoting equal opportunities for children to enroll, attend and remain in school until basic education is completed.  WHAT ABOUT BOYS EDUCATION?  Boys are equally encouraged to go to school but because of the high number of girls out of school, the special focus on girls is therefore to bridge the gap.  WHY THE EMPHASIS ON GIRLS EDUCATION?  The gender gap in southern Nigeria is less than 6% in favour of girls while in the North, it avereges 30% in favour of boys and in some states the gap is as wide as 48%.  Many studies have shown that when girls are educated literacy rates increase, families are better fed and nourished and family health improves. Educated girls are more likely to live and support their communities.  WHY ARE GIRLS NOT GOING TO SCHOOL?  Most schools lack adequate facilities to serve the needs of girls e.g. only 41.34% of primary schools in Nigeria have improved sanitation and 51.46% have safe water facilities.  On the average, there is only one toilet for 500 school children in Nigeria. In some states the ratio is over 1000 pupils per toilet.  Early marriage and teenage pregnancy, inadequate school infrastructure and cultural and religious biases are among the major issues that prevent girls from going to school.  With almost 70 per cent of the Nigerian population living below the poverty line, girls are often sent to hawk in the markets or on the streets.  HOW CAN COMMUNITIES ADDRESS THE INSECURITY OF GIRLS GOING TO SCHOOL?  Communities can make collective arrangements to ensure the safety of children especially girls who have to walk long lonely roads to school. Parents can also accompany their children to school.  WILL THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BOARDING PRIMARY SCHOOLS SOLVE THE INSECURITY PROBLEMS OF GIRLS WHO LIVE FAR FROM SCHOOLS?  Establishing boarding primary schools may not necessarily guarantee the security of girls in school.  Parents, community and religious leaders, teachers and other stakeholders have to come together to proffer solutions that are applicable to their environment.  WHAT TYPE OF SCHOOLS SHOULD GIRLS ATTEND  A girl can attend religious classes for moral instruction but she should be enrolled for basic education to build her foundation for the development of her community.  WHEN SHOULD GIRLS GO TO SCHOOL?  Girls should be enrolled in early child care classes at the age of 3 years just as the boys, they should all proceed to primary one at the age of 6 and proceed to secondary school and the university.  CAN CHILDREN CONTINUE TO PURSUE THEIR EDUCATION AFTER OBTAINING BASIC EDUCATION?  Yes, both boys and girls should be encouraged to pursue their education after completing junior secondary school education. Parents, religious and community leaders should continue to encourage boys, girls and youths in their communities to continue to higher levels of their studies for professional courses leading to self reliance, increase of family income, support for their communities, their Local Government Areas and the Nigerian society at large.  HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT ALL GIRLS ARE ENROLLED AND RETAINED IN SCHOOL?  All girls can be sent to school if collective actions are taken, current efforts in some communities in Dass (Bauchi), Bama (Borno), Kazaure (Jigawa), Kurfi (Katsina), Shiroro (Niger) and Rabah (Sokoto) have earned the LGAs the highest enrollment rates in their respective states. Scaling up good practices and sustaining good efforts can promote the achievement of girl’s education objectives.  Government should make schools more attractive by providing water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.  Government should also provide more classrooms and materials like books, benches, desks, etc.