The Galadima of Muri, Alhaji Tukur Abba Tukur, on Sunday advocated for a law that would make completion of secondary education a basic prerequisite for marriage by a girl child in Nigeria.
Turkur made the call in Jalingo when the State Universal Basic Education Board in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) led 100 youths they trained on safe and quality education for every child to his palace on a courtesy visit.
Tukur noted that when enacted, such a law would help in tackling child marriage which is inimical to the women’s health and development in the country.
According to him, this would be possible if governments at all levels made primary and secondary education free and compulsory for all Nigerian children.
“Government should endeavour to declare primary and secondary education in the country free and compulsory especially for the girl child,” he said.
Tukur called for serious penalty for teachers and university lecturers who harass female students sexually so that it would encourage the parents to send their female children to school without the fear that they would be molested.
“It is only when parents are given the confidence that their female children are in safe hands while in schools that they would willingly enrol them in schools,” he noted.
Leader of the team Kerkebe Ibrahim, told the chief that they were in his palace to seek his support for a safe and quality education for all children in the state especially the girl child.
Ibrahim explained that 100 youths in the state had undergone training for three days on safe and quality education to help in carrying out advocacy to ensure success.
Taraba state has a high number of out-of-school children, most of them girls, who hawk wares at beer parlours and other public places even during school hours and this current move by the SUBEB and UNICEF is expected to help in addressing the situation to a large extent.
Nathaniel Gbaoron, Jalingo
