THE IMPACT OF GIRL-CHILD EDUCATION TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

ABSTRACT

If you educate a female then you have successfully educated a community, goes the sayings: so female – child education has become a contemporary issue to community in the world because girls/women are usually discriminated against in all spheres of life including education. It is based on this, that this project examines the female – child marginalization and with unequal access to education compared to male counterpart. The study reveals that cultural practices serve as hindrance to female-child education and that inaccessibility of the female – child education makes vulnerable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, early marriage, denial of fundamental rights and child labour. The project concluded that if female-child education is fostered, she will be self-reliant, adequately socialize and well empowered to contribute meaningfully to the community as well as skills of problems solving to an appreciable extent. The paper therefore recommends that education should be made accessible to the female-child at all levels and awareness programme should be mounted to redeem the image of the female-child to make the world a better place for her to live.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0.INTRODUCTION:

It is a widely accepted fact that the main pointer to social and technological advancement of any community is the level of educational development of its citizens. The role that education plays in the improvement of the quality of people’s lives, acceleration of economic growth, harnessing of human intellect and potentials, realization of political stability, appreciation of tolerance and the institution of peace and unity, cannot be quantified. (Jasada, 1999). Education is an important means through which the society reproduces itself, passes its main characteristics to the next generation as well as a dynamic instrument of change and development (World Bank, 1994). Education is therefore not for the purpose of white – collar jobs alone, but for the individual and societal development, hence it is desirable that everyone should have it including the female. The female – child being the future homemaker and custodian of social, cultural and developmental values of the society, needs to be educated at least to secondary school level. An educated woman may have the ability to make a modern home, maintain a higher standard of cleanliness and attractive surroundings, socialize with her children, and maintain stable marriage and other ways of life necessary for human survival.

Educated female develops essential life skills, including self-confidence, the ability to participate effectively in societal welfares and protect herself from HIV/AIDs infection, sexual exploitation and pressures for early marriage and complicate child birth (Abdul, 2003). The educated female also gains the skills and competence for gainful employment which enables them to be an economically productive member of the society, likely mothers to send their children especially girls to secondary schools. The educated female marries late and has fewer children to nourish them better, healthier and less likely to face child mortality. Female-child education is very important for the overall development of the Konshisha. The place of women in the overall development of any society is fundamental such that any deliberate neglect of their education could point to danger for the entire society. As it is often said, to teach a man is to teach an individual but to teach a woman is to teach a family and the whole nation (Frederick, 1998). This is because she would pass on her knowledge to her peers and other family members particularly her daughters, thereby multiplying the effects of her own education.

1.1.BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:

The project topic has its background extracted from Konshisha Local government of Benue state of Konshisha.

Konshisha Local Government was first created out of the former Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State on the 28th February, 1983. The Local Government was however scrapped in 1984 by the military Government which came to power at that time. However, it was recreated on the 4th February, 1989 by the General Ibrahim Bagandiga Administration with its headquarter in Tse-Agberagba. Konshisha Local Government shares boundaries with Konshisha Local Government in the north, Gwer Local Government in the west, cross River State in the South and Ushongo Local Government in the east. Konshisha Local Government is named after River Konshisha which has its origin in Konshisha Local Government and the headquarter is named after Late Pa Agberagba Yonkyo, who established a big market in the area. Population: Konshisha Local Government has a population of about 225,672 (2006 census figures). It has a land mass of 10.089 square kilometres. It is indeed one of the largest in the state. Geographical Location: Konshisha Local Government Area is located on a levelled land in the North East of Benue State with three (3) Local Governments and a state on its boarders viz; Konshisha Local Government in the North, Gwer in the west, Ushongo and Vandeikya in the East with Cross River in the South. Konshisha Local Government Area lies between longitude 8o 400 East and Latitude 6o551 and 7o 231 North. It is situated in the Middle-Belt of Konshisha. Ethnic Composition: Konshisha Local Government Area comprises two ethnic groups which are the Tivs who dominate as the majority group in the Local Government Area, while the other group is the Egedes which form a minority. This Egede speaking group is a little extraction from Oju Local Government otherwise known as the Ucholo which is a little group from the Shangev-Tiev part of Konshisha Local Government Area. They also pay taxes in Konshisha Local Government Area and are given job opportunities with the Konshisha Local Government Council. Council Wards: Konshisha Local Government has eleven (11) Council Wards/Districts, which are:

i)Mbaikyase Council Ward

ii)Mbatem Council ward

iii)Ikyurav/Mbatwer council ward

iv)Mbayegh/Mbaikyegh council ward

v)Matsen Council ward

vi)Iwarnyam council ward

vii)Mbavaa council ward

viii)Mbanor council ward

ix)Mbatser/Mbagusa council ward

x)Mbake council ward and

xi)Mbawar council ward Development Area Offices: Konshisha Local Government has created five (5) Development Area offices and are located at these various places listed below:

xii)Yiav Development Area office – Gungul

xiii)Iwarev Development Area office – Korinya

xiv)Mbaaka Development Area office – Tongu

xv)Diiv Development Area office – Manta

xvi)Mbavaa Development Area Office – Amua These Development Area offices help in bringing the Government Administration closer to the people. These Development Area offices are headed by a Development Area Officer (DAO). Agricultural Potentials: The people of Konshisha Local Government are predominantly farmers and produce different variety of crops such as yams, cassava, rice, soya beans, Guinea corn, Groundnuts , oranges etc. Similarly, the people also do raise livestock. Some of the livestock reared in the area are goats, pigs, birds Fulani cattle and host of other domestic animals. Tourist attractions: Konshisha Local Government possess immense tourism potentials, unfortunately many remain unexploited. These tourist sites include:- Selagi Mountains: This is one of the beautiful tourist scenery in Konshisha which has interesting features. This mountain called “u wo-selagi”, according to history was said to be a refuge region for inhabitants within and outside Konshisha during war time. The “uwo-selagi” is situated in Mbagben District of Konshisha, a short distance from the Local Government Headquarters. More so, the mountain has water settled around it which is the major source of drinking water for the people around “Selagi” area.

During the course of researching for the necessary materials required for the work, it was discovered that the majority of the females in the local government as not educated. This according to our source can be traced to the general belief of the community that the education of a woman is useless and a waste of money since she will eventually end up in man’s house. Also it was gathered that the local government also hold this belief that educating a woman will delay her marriage and the more she gets old, the more her value depreciates.

1.2.STATEMENT OF PROBLEM:

The following forms the statement of the study:

1.Ignorance among the people about educating female children in Igala.

2.Molestation of the female child in schools

3.Cultural negligence of Igala people towards educating the female child.

1.3.PURPOSE OF THE STUDY:

The main objective of this project is therefore is to sensitize people on the fact that an end can only come to poverty cycle through educating the female – child. The female – child also should be educated so as to help her to compete in the world of men and to give her instrumental skills as well as intellectual development that will help her in making comprehensive judgment about the world around her. And at the same time be sensitized as to the importance of her being educated so as to fight for her rights.

1.4.RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

In this study, the researcher assures that for any research work the statement of research question is asked.

In this study the following assumptions are put forward for testing to enable the researcher produce a comprehensive and raid writhen work on the subject matter.

1.Can education of females children have a direct benefit to the people of Konshisha local government?

2.Should the education of the female genders be encouraged in the local government?

3.Is poverty the reason why female genders are not allowed to receive formal education?

4.Should the discouragement of the educating the female gender be allowed in the local government?

5.Is there any more increase in food production in Konshisha local government as a result of not educating the female?