The Kaduna Basic Education Accountability Mechanism (KADBEAM) has called for increased efforts to improve girls’ transition to secondary school, strengthen learning outcomes and provide better school facilities, despite significant progress in girls’ enrolment across Kaduna State.
The call was made in a statement to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, observed annually on October 11, with the organisation citing findings from the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics’ 2025/2026 Annual School Census.
According to the statement, girls account for 49.5 per cent of pupils in public primary schools, representing 905,930 of the 1,829,273 pupils enrolled at that level.
The census also shows that girls constitute 51 per cent of enrolment in public junior secondary schools and 52 per cent in public senior secondary schools.
KADBEAM described the figures as evidence of progress towards gender parity in education, noting that the statewide Gender Parity Index stands at 1.0 for primary and junior secondary education and 1.07 for senior secondary education.
The organisation attributed the gains to sustained efforts by the Kaduna State Government, the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the Ministry of Education, development partners, community structures and parents.
However, it warned that enrolment figures alone do not guarantee that girls will remain in school, complete their education or acquire essential literacy and numeracy skills.
The statement put girls’ net enrolment rates at 87 per cent for primary education, 31 per cent for junior secondary education and 27 per cent for senior secondary education, highlighting the need to support girls as they progress through the education system.
It also noted that some junior secondary schools did not submit returns for the census, meaning the secondary school figures could change as data coverage improves.
KADBEAM identified Soba, Ikara and Birnin Gwari among the local government areas where girls’ participation in education continues to lag behind that of boys, urging targeted interventions based on local needs.
Beyond enrolment, the organisation raised concerns about learning outcomes. It cited the Kaduna State Bureau of Statistics’ 2023 Learning Poverty Report, which found that by Primary Six, girls were more likely than boys to perform below the minimum proficiency level in reading and mathematics.
The statement stressed the importance of strengthening foundational learning through improved teacher support and structured interventions, including programmes in schools supported by the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE).
It also highlighted inadequate water and sanitation facilities as a barrier to girls’ regular school attendance, particularly adolescent girls.
According to the 2025/2026 Annual School Census, 55 per cent of public primary schools in the state lack a safe water source.
KADBEAM said access to safe water and adequate toilets was essential to creating a supportive learning environment, including for girls during menstruation. It also called for greater recruitment and deployment of female teachers to rural communities, noting their potential role as mentors and role models.
On government interventions, the organisation welcomed provisions in the 2026 Approved Budget for girls’ and boys’ education, alongside SUBEB initiatives to reactivate mothers’ associations in 16 Local Government Education Authorities and engage mothers in 200 communities on the importance of girls’ education.
It said the initiatives could help strengthen community participation in ensuring that girls enrol in school, remain there and complete their education.
KADBEAM further called for improved transition from primary to junior secondary school, investment in water and sanitation facilities, stronger School-Based Management Committees and mothers’ associations, and better education data collection to track enrolment, retention, completion and learning outcomes.
The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to working with the Ministry of Education, SUBEB, civil society groups and community stakeholders to promote quality and inclusive basic education across Kaduna State.
“Every girl who completes her education strengthens her family, her community and our state,” the statement said.
The statement was signed by Rahila Baita Ishaku, Co-Chair, Civil Society, Kaduna Basic Education Accountability Mechanism.
