An Air Force Girls Comprehensive School has been inaugurated in Abuja on Friday by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), to improve girl child education in the country.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, inaugurated the school at the Air Force Base, Abuja.
The minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan.
He commended the Chief of Air Staff and other personnel of the Service for the “remarkable project”.
The minister said the present administration had resolved to make education accessible for the good of the country.
Adamu noted that one of the major factors militating against girl child education in the country today was poverty as well as cultural and religious believes.
“These factors have clearly undermined the role of the girl child who naturally is meant to be a friend, a teacher, a confidant, a councilor, a mother and the hand that feeds.
“Available records from the NBS showed that the girl child education as compared to boys is ratio one to three in some states and two to four in others.
“This clearly shows the disadvantage position of the girl child in the area of education.
In his remarks, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sidique Abubakar, said it had become imperative to improve on the girl child education in the country.
He thanked Nigerian Air Force Officers Wives Association (NAFOWA) for their vision about the project.
“As chief of Administration, I was actively involved in the genesis of this project and NAF had to come in due to their inability to complete the project,’’ he said.
He said provision of quality education to families and personnel of the Force had been an invaluable tool for the motivation of officers and men for higher performance, commitment to duty and effective service delivery.
“In building this school for girl child education, various thoughts came to my mind, first, there was the need to enhance the welfare of personnel which is a key driver of my vision.
“Our experience of fighting insurgents in the North-East indicates the exploitation of girl child education due to low literacy level.
“Against this background, we thought it wise to establish the school as our modest contribution to the president’s efforts at enhancing the Girl Child Education In the country.
“ With the opening of this school, it will shield them from societal vices because when you open the door of a school you open the door of liberty,’’Abubakar said.
The Nigerian Air Force had already established an Air Force Comprehensive School in Jos, and has promised to establish the third one in its base in Bauchi State.
AIR FORCE GIRLS COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COMMISSIONED BY NAF
