Introduction
Education is a
fundamental human right that should be availed to every girl child irrespective
of the age and nationality. The importance of education in the life of a girl
child can never be over-emphasised. In both spiritual and temporal mundane
aspects of human existence, education is paramount. It is the light that shows
the way by removing the darkness of ignorance; salt that gives the taste of
life; the medicine that cures and the key which open doors. The greatest favour
a girl child can get is “to get education” and “to give others education.”
According to a Chinese proverb, education is the best legacy to give a child
because “giving your child a skill is better than giving him or her thousand
pieces of gold.” Many girls today do not have adequate education past a certain
age. The native traditional philosophy is that a woman’s place is in her
husband’s kitchen and her primary role centres in her home. This belief has
kept many girls away from education. The global outbreak of the COVID-19
pandemic has spread worldwide, affecting almost all countries and territories. The
history of the outbreak was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. By
March 2020, UNESCO reported nearly 3 million students across the world had their education
disrupted due to COVID-19 after just 13 countries saw school closures. The news of the epidemic
began to spread in a Chinese city in early 2020, no one anticipated the scope
of the epidemic for the entire world in a very short period. From Wuhan (China)
to New York (USA) through Africa, South America, Asia, and Europe, the new
coronavirus, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) or severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has paralyzed, to a greater or lesser
extent, the life in many countries, causing thousands of deaths and about 6
million infections. By April 2020, 194 countries
instituted countrywide school closures affecting 91% of
enrolled learners. Disruptions to students’ academic years can have
extreme consequences. Just three months of missed schooling can result in 1.5 years of learning loss years later. This is the impact
COVID-19 is having on school-aged boys and girls across the globe. The complete
nationwide lockdown was implemented from 1 August 2020 (Palden, 2020).
Lockdown and staying home strategies have been put in place as the needed
action to flatten the curve and control the transmission of the disease (Sintema, 2020).
Today the world is home to some 1.2 billion girls, of whom 600 million are out
of school as a result of Lockdowns and school closures implemented during the
pandemic have already caused. COVID-19 shutdowns has disrupted early learning,
formal education and livelihoods. The lives of girls, their families and
communities face extreme stress from health and economic burdens, crowding and
isolation. Measures to curb the disease have worsened existing inequalities,
forcing girls out of school and placing them at heightened risk of violence in
their home. With school and university closures affecting nearly 91% of the
world’s student population, over 1.5 billion learners have had their education
disrupted, including 743 million girls. Many countries have introduced online
learning to mitigate the impact of school closures on learners. In spite of the
benefits of virtual learning millions of girls may not have access to online
learning? Boys are 1.5 times more likely to own a phone than girls in low and
middle income countries and are 1.8 times more likely to own a smartphone that
can access the internet Among them are the cost of Internet data and limited
access in deprived communities, virtual platforms that are not disability
friendly, some caregivers are unable to support their children during the
online sessions and online/digital learning is a new phenomenon for both
teachers and learners. When girls are out of school they struggle to access
social support structures and essential services such as sexual and
reproductive health services. However, the “new normal” brought on by the
COVID-19 pandemic has suddenly and abruptly redefined the future of education
for millions of girls in Africa. In order to understand the impact of COVID-19
on girls from their own experiences.
The Girl-Child Education
Girl-child education as
a global concern has been shown to be a hurricane task that is not easily
achievable as usually proclaimed due to many impediments which stands in the
way of the girl -child. Over two decades, scholars from various field of study
have carried out studies and reviews relating to child girl education. Various
proposition has been made and agreed upon. Girl child education programme has
been viewed by different people interested in the programme in different ways.
For instance, those from the non-formal sector see it as an educational
programme designed for out of school girls to help them make up their missed
chance of schooling. Some see it as a programme aimed at giving out of school
girls vocational skills to help them break through economically (Abdulkarim
& Mamman, 2014). Girl-child education is the process through which the
girl-child is made functional members of her society (Iwalaiye, Abah, Johnson,
Giwa & Ali, 2016). It is a process through which the girl-child acquires
knowledge and realizes her potentialities and uses them for self-actualization,
to be useful to her and others. It is a means of preserving, transmitting and
improving the culture of the society. In every society education connotes
acquisition of something good, something worthwhile (Ocho, 2005). Psacharopoulos
and Patrinos, (2004) reported that child girl education contributes to the
various aspects of their lives such as increased productivity, family health
and nutrition, reduced fertility rates and related child mortality rates. Child
girl education empower the girl child to become self -sufficient adult capable
of taking decision and controlling her life.
In view of this,
Stronquist (2000) maintain that Girl-child education involves equipping girls
who later grow up to women with the knowledge, abilities and mental powers with
which they will be useful to themselves, the family and the society. Girl-child
education is not easy to come by as it is usually proclaimed as many
impediments stand in the way of the girl –child (Kasomo, 2009). The rights of
the girl-children are always being denied and this denial leads to lack of
access to education thus results in child labor, which deprives the girl-child
of her childhood potentials, dignity and joy. The important of child girl
education cannot be over emphasized. It is a global human right concern
demanding legislation across the nations of the world as child girls are
discriminated against. They are victims of various traditional and cultural
practices, they suffer degradation, they are objects of poverty, their faces
are only to be seen but their voices not to be heard, they are seen as being
sub-servient to their male counterparts; they are the inferior set, their place
is in the kitchen (Ahmad & Najeemah, 2013). Globally, two thirds of all
those who have no access to education are girls and women. In Nigeria,
particularly, the north part of the country, access to basic education among
the child girl have remain low. As only 20 per cent of women in the North West and
North East of the country are literate and have attended school (Unicef, 2007).
Considering the vital role played by women in the society and the nation, it is
therefore paramount to review the challenging factors militating against girl
child education in Nigeria.
The Impact of COVID-19 on girl child education
The COVID-19
pandemic has created the largest disruption of education systems in human
history, affecting nearly 1.6 billion learners in more than 200 countries.
Closures of schools, institutions and other learning spaces have impacted more
than 94% of the world’s student population. Unfortunately, for girls, the
impact of COVID-19 on Girl child education loss during and even after COVID-19
closures is even greater. Within a short span of the COVID-19 pandemic, many
researchers have shared their works on teaching and learning in different ways.
Several schools, colleges and universities have discontinued face-to-face
teachings. There is a fear of losing 2020 academic year or even more in the
coming future
In fact,
Malala Fund research estimates that as a result of the pandemic, 20 million girls in developing countries may never return to the
classroom. At the peak of the pandemic, 1.6 billion enrolled
children were pushed out of school as countries shut their doors. A Save the
Children survey
indicates that 8 out of 10 children surveyed in 37 countries reported that they
have learned very little or not at all since the onset of COVID-19. At least one-third
of the world’s school children cannot access remote learning. The digital
divide, particularly when it comes to distance learning, could deepen with
COVID-19. Increased poverty rates in various countries have already resulted in
difficulties
in accessing media and the internet, which might only be available
in urban areas.
The COVID-19 pandemic has provided us with an opportunity to pave the way for
introducing digital learning (Dhawan, 2020).
The potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on girls’ education are numerous
and diverse. Most obviously, many schools around the world remain closed,
affecting girls’ education directly. But both research and advocacy pieces
highlight a host of other potential concerns that either directly or indirectly
affect girls’ education and ultimately, their overall wellbeing. With a health
crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic (or the Ebola epidemic before it), sickness
and mortality among parents or other household members also interferes with
girls’ education by at least two channels (beyond the trauma of losing a
parent, in the case of mortality). First, losing a parent may result in reduced
income and so a greater need for children to work for pay.
However,
we’ve seen the impact that school closures due to health crises have on girls
and their education. During the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak, over 10,000 schools
closed in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, which impacted almost 5 million school children. By the time schools
reopened, students collectively had lost “an approximate 1,848 hours of education.” In the wake of the
Ebola epidemic, girls in
Sierra Leone reported gathering stones to sell, selling fruit in the
market, and buying and selling scrap metal, among other activities. In some
cases, it can even mean transactional
sex. In Liberia during the same crisis, girls
sometimes became the main income earners in their households.
Second, girls may become
primary caregivers for sick members of the families and for younger
siblings. All of these responsibilities pull girls away from school, sometimes
permanently in cases where girls become the household breadwinners. While there
have been fewer cases of and deaths from COVID-19 in African countries, other
developing regions like Asia and Latin America have been hard-hit, with more
than 96,000 deaths in India and more than 141,000 in Brazil. The combination of
school closures and the disruption of other health services can translate to
increased likelihood of adolescent pregnancy, which despite recent, laudable
moves in several
countries
to make it easier for girls to return to school still makes getting back to the
classroom more difficult. Travel restrictions likewise can reduce access to
both reproductive health services and to “safe spaces” like after-school
girls’ clubs, which can also translate to increased adolescent
pregnancy. Loss of household income can also lead to girls marrying
young as a means to generate income for the family through their
dowry, especially if compounded with unplanned pregnancy. During the early part
of the Ebola crisis, some families
opted to send away their children to communities deemed to be safer
from the disease, which in some cases exposed the girls to potential sexual
abuse by foster parents or guardians. This seems to be less of a concern during
the current pandemic, partially because travel restrictions were often
implemented with wide coverage
and short notice.
Finally, an effect not from school closures directly but from previous health
and financial crises is that education
budgets may get crunched, both at the national level and at the
household level. During the East Asian financial crisis in the 1990s, pre-existing
disparities between boys and girls were exacerbated. Many countries
still have gender gaps in access to secondary education, and budget crunches
may slow down the expansion of secondary school, limiting opportunities for
girls.
Moreover, with
these factors all playing a role, COVID-19 could result in severe outcomes and
disproportionate effects in girls’ education 20 million girls could potentially be out of school even when
this pandemic is over, and many more will have lost out on months of learning.
In order to understand the impact of COVID-19 on girls from their own
experiences, Plan International and the African Child Policy Forum (ACPF)
undertook a continental study and published a report as a stark reality. That
the future of millions of girls will never be the same because of the
disruption to education systems caused by COVID-19. The lived realities of
girls in the face of COVID-19 and its impact on education are aptly captured by
some of the girls saying that. COVID-19 has shrunk the space for education, I
am really missing classes. Sometimes I try to study at home but the house
chores are so much that I can’t revise my notes. I take care of my siblings as
well as the house and the farm. I start working very early and
go to bed very late.” Halima, 16, from Niger also Things
have become very uncomfortable for me since the state of emergency began. Being
at home all day with my family is dreadful, because they are rushing me
to get married.” Angelina, 17, from Mozambique. These were students
respond from COVID-19.
Conclusion
Education is
the right of every girl everywhere and key to transforming her life and the
life of her community. Without education, girls are denied the opportunity to
develop their full potential and to play a productive and equal role in their
families, their societies, their country and their world. Although much has
been done to improve the calibre and existence of girls' education in African
countries, there is still much that needs to be done. The largest hurdle that
needs to be overcome before all African girls can all get the education they
deserve is the prevailing social thought that discourages or minimizes the
importance of education for girls. COVID-19 has forced schools to close, and
such closures often “result in girls spending more time with men and boys” compared
to when they are in school, which can lead to “engagement in risky sexual behavior and increased risk of sexual violence and exploitation.” By
governments taking action today, the impact of COVID-19 on girls’ education can
be lessened. A recent report
indicates that two-thirds of poorer countries have decreased education budgets
since COVID-19 began. Governments must commit to protecting and expanding
education budgets, and they can start by fully funding at least $5 billion for
the Global Partnership for Education. Governments and policymakers can also
include gender in school reopening plans and ensure girls still have
the means to continue learning while at home. The boys and girls of
today are the future of tomorrow, and investing in and giving attention equally
to their respective education will help us all come out on top post-pandemic.
