Improving the quality and coverage of education, especially for girls, is key to Nigeria’s economic development. Despite the continuous effort to improve the quality of education and increase its relevance, gender gaps in education still exist.

Girl’s access to basic education in the northern states has remained low. As few as 20% of women are literate and have attended school. Male enrolment is more than girls in all levels of education. Out of the primary schools enrolment indicated an imbalance ratio as only of, in Kaduna State, 41% were girl- child and many ended up not going for secondary education. In all parts of the state girls lag behind boys in access to education and adequate attention has to be given in order to address this problem.

The Universal Basic Education scheme adopted by the Federal Government of Nigeria provides for a nine year continuous basic education comprising six years of Primary education and three years of Junior Secondary education. This nine-year cycle is free and compulsory for all children. However, as at 2006, only 22 per cent of the over 10.5 million eligible children between 12 and 14 years of age were enrolled in Junior Secondary Schools. Over the last 10 years, the enrolment ratio improved only marginally.