Kaduna: The Kaduna State Government, in collaboration with key stakeholders, has validated draft Gender in Education and Life Skills Policies aimed at promoting inclusive and holistic learning across the state. The validation workshop, held in Kaduna, brought together education experts, government officials, development partners, and civil society organisations to review and strengthen the policy documents before final adoption.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani, stated that the policies were designed to address systemic challenges in the education sector and ensure inclusivity, equity, and improved learning outcomes across the state. He noted that the Gender in Education Policy sought to tackle persistent inequalities that hinder access, participation, and achievement in education, particularly among girls and other vulnerable groups. The policy provides a strategic framework to promote safety, fairness, and inclusivity in schools and is founded on detailed, Local Government Area-specific education analyses.
Prof. Sani highlighted that the Life Skills Policy aims to equip learners with competencies beyond academics, including critical thinking, resilience, communication, and decision-making skills needed to thrive in an ever-changing world. He described the validation process as a critical stage in policy development, noting that stakeholders’ inputs would ensure the documents are inclusive, practical, and reflective of realities on the ground.
During a panel session, Malam Bashir Muhammad, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, mentioned that the life skills policy introduces a shift in the education curriculum by embedding entrepreneurial skills as core learning components. Despite the presence of multiple development partners supporting education in the state, interventions had remained fragmented, necessitating a unified framework to coordinate efforts. Muhammad emphasized the importance of ownership and a robust institutional and implementation arrangement to ensure the policy’s success.
Salisu Baba-Lawal, the Director of Planning, Ministry of Education, assured that there would be a continuous review of the policies to track progress and address challenges. Stakeholders also noted that increased school enrolment, retention, and completion, especially for girls, would significantly reduce social challenges such as child marriage, teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence.
Executive Director of the Centre for Girls’ Education, Habiba Mohammed, underscored the empowerment that education and life skills provide to girls, enabling them to make informed choices and resist harmful practices. Maryam Dangaji, Project Coordinator for the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) in Kaduna, added that the effective implementation of the policies would address issues like early marriage and gender-based violence, ensuring successful school transitions and completion for girls.
Other stakeholders, such as the Reaching Out Of School Children project, also emphasized the importance of these policies in ensuring equal access to education for children and adolescents.