Why Nigeria Must Extend Basic Education to 12 Years — PAGED Tells Journalists

Why Nigeria Must Extend Basic Education to 12 Years — PAGED Tells Journalists

By Musa Garba, Kaduna

A civil society organisation, the Participatory Communication for Gender Development Initiative (PAGED Initiative), has renewed calls for Nigeria to expand its basic education policy from nine years to 12 years, arguing that the current structure leaves many adolescent girls vulnerable to school dropout, early marriage and long-term social exclusion.

The organisation made the appeal on Wednesday during a two-day media workshop for journalists involved in a project focused on married adolescent girls and young mothers in Kaduna, Kano and Borno states.

Speaking at the event, PAGED Initiative’s Programme Director, Ummi Bukar, said the country’s existing Universal Basic Education framework, though intended to guarantee free and compulsory learning for children, ends too early and fails to protect many girls at a critical stage of their lives.

She said the policy’s limitation to junior secondary school means that many girls are pushed out of the education system just as they approach adolescence, often without the support or protection needed to continue their studies.

According to her, broadening the policy to include senior secondary education would give more girls the opportunity to remain in school, delay harmful social pressures and improve their chances of becoming economically independent and socially empowered.

Mrs Bukar noted that in many communities, girls are frequently withdrawn from school between the ages of 13 and 15, a period she described as decisive for their education, confidence and future prospects.

She said extending compulsory education to 12 years would not only improve access to full secondary schooling, but also serve as a practical response to the persistent problem of child marriage, especially in states where girls’ education continues to face cultural and structural barriers.

She also drew attention to the weak enforcement of legal protections designed to safeguard girls, particularly the Child Rights Act, which sets 18 as the legal age for marriage and recognises the right of young mothers to return to school.

While these provisions exist on paper, she said their implementation remains largely ineffective, with very few consequences for families or individuals who violate them.

“There are laws and policies that should protect girls, but in many cases, enforcement is almost non-existent,” she said, adding that it is still rare to see accountability when underage girls are forced into marriage or denied the opportunity to continue their education.

Mrs Bukar acknowledged that governments at different levels have introduced programmes aimed at improving girls’ access to education, including increased funding, gender-focused interventions and life skills support.

However, she argued that many of those initiatives have not gone far enough because they often fail to respond to the realities faced by the girls they are supposed to help.

She said for many married adolescents and young mothers, returning to school is not simply a matter of policy approval, but of whether the system can accommodate their needs.

In many cases, she explained, girls are unable to continue their education because schools and communities do not provide practical support such as childcare arrangements, flexible learning schedules or safe and welcoming learning environments.

“It is not enough to say girls should return to school,” she said. “The education system must also be designed in a way that makes that possible for them.”

She called for a more serious commitment from policymakers, insisting that laws protecting girls’ rights must be backed by implementation, adequate funding and social support mechanisms that work in real communities.

She also urged the media to play a more deliberate role in shaping public understanding of the issues affecting adolescent girls, saying journalists have the power to influence both policy and public attitudes through responsible, gender-sensitive reporting.

According to her, the media must go beyond event coverage and become active partners in advocacy by telling stories that reflect the lived experiences of girls whose education has been disrupted by marriage, motherhood or social pressure.

Mrs Bukar said stronger collaboration among government agencies, civil society groups, traditional institutions and the media would be essential in pushing for reforms that keep girls in school and expand their opportunities.

For advocates at the workshop, the message was clear: unless Nigeria extends educational protection beyond junior secondary school and addresses the barriers that force girls out of classrooms, thousands of adolescents will continue to be left behind.