According to Jutaro Sakamoto, the education manager at UNICEF, more than 50% of girls in Nigeria are not receiving basic education. In a conference organized by the French Institute in Nigeria, he revealed that 7.6 million girls in Nigeria are out of school, with 3.9 million at the primary level and 3.7 million at the junior secondary level.
Sakamoto further explained that 48% of these out-of-school girls are concentrated in the North West and North East regions. Gender parity in net attendance ratio is also below 1.0 in 10 states, particularly in the North, although it is improving in 15 other states.
He highlighted a stark disparity, with only 9% of the poorest girls attending secondary school compared to 81% from the wealthiest quintile. Nigeria accounts for 15% of out-of-school children globally, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this issue.
Sakamoto expressed concerns about the quality of education for those attending schools due to a lack of facilities. UNICEF's Education Opportunity for Out of School Children (OOSC) project has made efforts to improve this situation, but challenges persist in ensuring access to quality education for all Nigerian girls
