By Rakiya A,Muhammad
In Sokoto State Northwest Nigeria, the presence of dropout girls selling food on school grounds presents a paradox. The institution of education, a knowledge repository, has inadvertently become a bazaar of unfulfilled aspirations. Elusive ambitions mix with the aroma of culinary delights.
The situation exposes a harsh reality: countless girls are forced to prioritize survival over education, perpetuating a cycle that undermines their potential and the region’s development.
It was the experience of five food vendors this writer met while investigating girls’ school dropout in Sokoto.
Though their backgrounds differ, all five girls share a common thread: financial hardship pushed them from the classroom to the marketplace. Their stories echo the silent crisis faced by many.
“Economic hardship forced us to leave school. Our families are struggling to survive, so we make ends meet by selling food,” Habiba Adamu says, her voice a mix of regret and determination.
Asked about her dreams before leaving school, she adds, “I always wanted to be a doctor. I dreamed of treating the sick and helping my community.” Her sacrifice now feels more poignant, highlighting the real dreams that remain unfulfilled.
Habiba was excited for school and excelled in her Basic Education Certificate Examinations. But when her father’s retirement benefits were not paid, she had to put her dreams aside and turn to trade.
Their ambitions to be doctors, engineers, or teachers, have now given way to resignation.
Watching students pass by reminds them of what could have been.
Statistics show that over 10 million children in Nigeria are not in school, with girls comprising a considerable majority (more than 60%).
The northern region, including Sokoto, faces the highest rates of out-of-school children due to cultural hurdles, higher poverty, and insecurity.
For many girls in Nigeria, particularly in the north, a lack of education leads to a bleak reality: an endless cycle of early marriage, poor literacy rates, and restricted economic prospects.
Each year, hundreds of girls in Sokoto drop out of school before they can shape their futures.
Despite education being a recognized right, large numbers of girls in Sokoto State drop out primarily for cultural, economic, and structural reasons.
Cultural traditions often prioritise male education over female education, leading to a disturbing disparity. Many girls leave to undertake domestic obligations. Some as young as 12 face early marriages, which are a major impediment to their schooling. Marriage ends their education, as society expects them to become wives and mothers.
“When I started my monthly period, my family indicated it was time for me to remain home and prepare for matrimony.” “I never desired that!” says Aisha Aliyu, who dropped out of her education in junior secondary school one.
Economic challenges worsen this situation. Some families facing financial difficulties see a girl’s education as a luxury. Financial necessity compels them to remove girls from school to augment household income.
“After my father’s death, I had to drop out of school to assist my mother,” discloses Fatima Isa, who stopped her education after completing primary six.
Her mother wants her daughter to receive an education, but points to their struggle to get food on the table. In the absence of sustenance, what options remain for us?
Hajiya Lubabatu Muhammad, Principal of Government Girls Day Secondary School, Runjin Sambo, observes that poverty is militating against girls’ education, despite the government’s efforts in the sector.
She reveals, “Presently, there are a lot of students we have to pay for; there are some students I am giving money for breakfast out of my pocket just to make them come to school.”
Despite policies aimed at reducing dropout rates, for many girls in Sokoto, education remains a distant hope.
Policy Interventions
The Sokoto State 10-Year Strategic Plan (2011-2020), a comprehensive roadmap for the state’s education sector, identifies the growing number of school-age children out of school as the biggest challenge to the state’s realisation of Education for All (EFA).
It identifies gender access and other challenges and proposes plans and initiatives to combat the causes of school dropout among girls.
One of the strategic plans included increasing enrolment and retention rates—particularly for girls—reducing dropout and withdrawal, addressing gender inequality in education, and improving the transition from secondary to tertiary education. These plans include incentives to encourage participation, school infrastructure improvements, and community awareness campaigns.
Gaps Persist
Despite policies designed to support girls’ education, many still drop out. Cultural expectations, economic obstacles and systemic continue to hinder the effective implementation of policies.
“The policies are comprehensive on paper. They address numerous issues like poverty, infrastructure, and cultural barriers. However, the execution presents a significant challenge, as noted by Idris Ali, an expert in education policy.
“Often, there is a disconnect between policy and execution. Lack of funding, insufficient infrastructure, and bureaucratic hurdles hinder progress. Furthermore, large-scale issues such as insecurity often overshadow educational agendas.”
He continues, “The policies exist, but we often see a gap in their implementation.” Funding, resources, and political will are lacking, particularly in rural areas, leading to an unmet need for educational facilities.”
Distance to school was one of the significant barriers the Sokoto State Strategic Plan aimed to tackle. For many, the nearest school remains several miles away. In many communities, the absence of secondary schools brings girls’ educational journeys to an abrupt and premature end after their early years of schooling.
As a result, countless students are compelled to abandon their education, not because of a lack of will, but because the doors to learning remain out of reach. Moreover, safety concerns persist with reports of banditry attacks further discouraging attendance.
Mallam Muhammadu Aliyu, a community leader, explains that most families believe allowing their girls to attend schools outside their areas is too dangerous and financially demanding.
Tackling the conundrums
Professor Mustapha Namaka, Director General of the Agency for Female Education, notes that many dropouts and those who have never attended school are affected.
However, he asserts that the current administration is committed to addressing the issue, stating that education is the second item on their nine-point agenda.
“I assure you of His Excellency Governor Ahmad Aliyu’s resolve to support any initiatives aimed at advancing education,” Namaka declares.
Given the challenges, the Sokoto State government is executing the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project, a World Bank-supported initiative under the Federal Ministry of Education.
This project aims to enhance secondary education opportunities by addressing obstacles that hinder girls’ access to and completion of their education, including socio-cultural barriers, financial limitations, and infrastructural shortcomings. It also aims to make education more appealing to adolescent girls, their parents, communities, and educational institutions.
“We recognise the obstacles that girls encounter in their quest for education,” the education commissioner, Tukur Alkali, explains, “We craft our policies to tackle these issues through the establishment of scholarships, the construction of additional schools, and the formation of supportive networks.”
Dr. Mansur Isa Buhari, the State Program Coordinator for AGILE, highlights the complexities surrounding girls’ education and the project’s approach to tackling these issues.
“Due to poverty, girls often resort to street hawking, which is why AGILE includes a component known as the conditional cash transfer. This financial initiative aims to provide cash incentives specifically to these girls, particularly those in transitional classes,” he explains.
“We will identify the most disadvantaged households within communities and provide them with financial support at the end of each term to facilitate their education.” The move addresses the issue of dropout rates and enhances enrolment figures.”
“AGILE will empower the girls not through material possessions but by imparting skills; they will acquire competencies essential for navigating the economic landscape.”
He reveals that the AGILE programme will benefit 448 schools in Sokoto, including mixed junior and senior secondary schools.
It includes essential elements such as menstrual hygiene initiatives to help girls remain in school and the incorporation of life skills into the curriculum.
Dr. Buhari highlights another part of the project. “A second chance component enables married women to continue their education until completion. This initiative is crucial, as we have had instances where individuals marry after JSS1 or primary school, lacking the educational foundation necessary to navigate the complexities of life effectively,” he explains.
“We engage with communities to persuade husbands and fathers to permit their return to school, which is why we have established learning centres throughout the 23 local government areas of the state.”
According to the state coordinator, the project received N150 million of the state government’s counterpart money.
He adds, “Implementation started in July/August of this year; within three months, preliminary data indicate improvements such as more girls returning to school and higher application rates for financial support, suggesting the project’s impact is becoming visible.”
Following the announcement of the AGILE project, this writer had a chance encounter with scores of mothers gathered at a secondary school, united by hope as they sought to help their daughters reclaim the education they had once lost.
“We heard the announcement on the radio about AGILE that parents of girls who are out of school should send them to school even if they do not have a uniform; the programme will support them,” says Malama Mariya Mohammed from the Gidan Ganaku area of Sokoto.
Due to the family’s financial circumstances and her husband’s illness, the mother of five—four girls and one boy—discloses that her daughters had stopped attending school.
“Since I lack the means, they were all at home,” she says. “With government support, we are glad our children can return to school; everyone seeks progress.”
Hajiya Mariya’s words reflect the shared hopes of mothers, their faith renewed in a programme that promises a better future for their children. The hopes of Habiba and other drop-out girls are now rekindled.
A rights advocate, Halima Ibrahim, emphasizes the importance of thorough project execution to achieve the desired results.
“Despite policies aiming for progress, entrenched mindsets and systemic inefficiencies impede their implementation,” she notes.
“It is imperative for all stakeholders to act now. Community leaders, parents, and policymakers must dismantle barriers so girls can learn in safe, supportive environments. Only coordinated efforts can turn policy into a lasting transformation for girls’ education.”
Gender-Sensitive Plan Imperative
The government is implementing the AGILE programme to address barriers to girls’ education, aiming to increase enrolment and retention rates. While the programme has made access easier, the lack of a gender-sensitive education sector plan in the state hinders the long-term success of these policies. This missing framework lessens the sustainability and effectiveness of current interventions in retaining students and in achieving gender equality in education.
The United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative defines the Education Sector Plan as a comprehensive strategic document that provides a vision for the education system and outlines the steps to achieve it.
It notes Gender Responsive Education Sector Planning (GRESP) as the vehicle for achieving this vision, as it identifies gender barriers within the education system and ensures that strategies and policies are in place to address them through the Education Sector Plan.
“Urgent and comprehensive action is needed to achieve gender equality in education,” Halima Ibrahim stresses.” Only by adopting a Gender Responsive Education Sector Plan can every learner—regardless of gender—access quality, sustainable learning.”
This report was published with collaborative support from Impact House and System Strategy and Policy Lab (SSPL).
