Contributions of Government on Girl Child Education in Maiduguri Metropolatan Council, Borno State

This study examines the effort of government to girl child education in maiduguri metropolitan Areas of Borno State. Gender disparity has been an issue in the attainment of education in Borno State with literacy rate for male and female at 46.9%, while Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at primary level for girl-child stood at 40.6% as against 87.7% for male-child. Three research objectives were formulated and three null hypotheses were tested. To this end the study adopted System theory by David Easton as a related theory to explain the focus of the study. Data were collected with the aid of questionnaire, interview and systematic observation. Hypotheses were analyzed using descriptive and the regression analysis. The study found that there has been significant improvement in girl child enrolment, retention and completion of basic education in Borno State, infrastructure are improving however, the conditions of the teachers are not encouraging. The study therefore concluded that the strategy of free feeding adopted by the Borno State government have been yielding positive result and community members have been mobilized and sensitized into understanding the importance of girl child education. However, the teachers without whom these efforts of government would be fruitless have not been given adequate attention. Also, the provision of basic facilities such as structures, facilities, toilets and portable water is still grossly inadequate but improving massively. From the foregoing, this study therefore recommend that Government should intensify its effort towards the enrolment (in terms of provision of adequate instructional and writing materials) retention (in terms of more furniture which will enable them to learn comfortably and completion (the employment of more female teachers to serve as role models to the girls will improve the completion rate) of girl child basic education as this will help in the development of the girl child, the community and the state at large.