The term “girl child” refers to a biological female offspring from birth up until the age of 18 years old. This time span encompasses early childhood, also known as creche, nursery, or kindergarten (ages 0–5 years), primary education (ages 6–12 years), and secondary education (12-18 years). During this time, the young child is completely dependent on the adult caregiver, who may be the child’s parents or a guardian. This indicates that she is reliant on the significance of the actions of others. Education is the process of imparting knowledge to a person who lacks previous experience in order to facilitate that person’s growth on a variety of fronts, including but not limited to the following: physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, spiritually, politically, and economically. Education is the means by which individuals are transformed into useful contributors to the society in which they live.
Education is the process by which an individual gains knowledge, comes to realize his or her potentialities, and makes use of those potentialities for the purpose of self-actualization, so that they can be useful to themselves and others. It is a method for keeping the culture of the society alive, passing it down to future generations, and enhancing it.
Providing mental, moral, and intellectual guidance to a young lady is what we mean when we talk about educating her. Education is a fundamental human right, and it should be made available to every girl child. It is impossible to place enough emphasis on how essential education is for the development of a young lady. Education is of the utmost importance in both the ethereal and the more material aspects of the human experience. It is the light that reveals the path by dispelling the shadows cast by ignorance. It is the salt that imparts the flavor of life. It is the medicine that heals. And it is the key that unlocks doors. The greatest gifts that can be bestowed upon a girl child are the opportunities to “be educated” and “to educate others.”
According to the native traditional philosophy, a woman’s place is in the kitchen of her husband, and the primary focus of her role is within the confines of her own home. This belief has prevented a great number of young women from pursuing an education.
When a girl is forced into marriage at a very young age, her right as a human being is violated, and she is also deprived of her right to education. If a girl’s husband does not give her the opportunity to go to school, she is doomed to spend the rest of her life illiterate. Researchers have found that increasing access to education for women is essential for the growth of nations, and that the importance of women’s participation in society cannot be overstated. There is a common saying that goes: “When you educate a man, you educate one; when you educate a woman, you educate a nation.” This is the case due to the fact that the education of every child begins within the family, and the mother is the child’s first teacher. Girls who receive education are more likely to become educated mothers who, in turn, are more likely to educate their own children, care for their families, and provide for their children.
Therefore, educating the girl child translates to better health for the future generations, a reduction in child mobility and mortality, and consequently triggering a snowball effect of achieving all other sustainable development goals in a viable manner. Education for the girl child also helps prepare her for the challenges that she will face in society and teaches her how to be a responsible wife and mother. She discovers that she can be whoever and whatever she wants to be as a result of her education, which allows her to realize the full potentials that have been endowed in her. She would shatter the barrier of her own ignorance and open the door to her own self-discovery with the help of education. It is imperative that the Child’s Right Act be expanded upon and made mandatory in every state. The prevention of child abuse without discrimination will be greatly aided by this measure. When it comes to providing a valuable pipeline for the “educated girl child” to be transformed into women who will be agents of national transformation, policymakers need to create an environment that is conducive to increasing gender participation and making gender participation more equal.
Through our PAVE for Girls program we have assisted a lot of young girls to maximize their potential especially in the area of education. Visit www. Hacey.org for more.
Written By:
Michael Adegboye
