By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Secretary for Education, Sani Dahir El-katuzu, has charged Principals, Zonal Coordinators and Stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) to prioritize zero tolerance to gender base violence but to equality and harmony in the classrooms and in the school environment.
This was contained in a press release signed by Head, information/PR unit, Education Secretariat Kabiru Musa made available to Daybreak today.
El-katuzu gave this charge at a capacity building for school Principals and other Stakeholders on the National Policy on Gender in Education and it’s implementation guide and the Referral pathway for Schools in FCT.
He said, “This programme will expose you to the new National Policy on gender in Education and equip you with the knowledge and skills to enable you contribute meaningfully and effectively to finding solutions to gender issues as it affect your responsibilities as educators. ”
The Secretary for Education emphasized that in the last couple of years, gender issues have attracted global concerns but gender disparity still persists in all areas of human endeavours including the education sector.
He noted that a large population of women, girls and boys are deprived basic skills of live that would have enable them to contribute to the growth and development of the society.
However he pointed that knowledge acquired from the policy manual would be used in closing the gap in education of females and males in the FCT.
El-katuzu added that the workshop will expose them to gender main streaming in the education sector as it affects the policies and programmes of government while addressing issues of violence in schools that inhibit the chances of girls and boys in accessing quality education as well as optimal performance in school.
The Education lead observed that teachers are sometimes afraid of reporting child abuse for fear of inaccurate report, adding that the training programme will erase their fear urging them that they cannot ignore a child that is a victim of violence outside school but must help the child and helping the child involves having knowledge of what to do to offer solutions”, El-katuzu added.
Director of Administration and Finance, Mallam Abdulrazak Leramoh explained that the intensive training on Gender based violence will better equipped the educators on the best ways of handling various gender related issue.
Head, Gender unit, Mrs Uduakobong Umossoh said that the capacity building program on the National Policy on Gender in Education will help the participants to step up their knowledge of the various issues relating to Gender in the teaching and learning environment.
Umossoh was grateful for support from both the Secretary for Education and the Education Management on Gender Issues and assured that participants will utilise the opportunity of the training to the benefit of the education sector.
