The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) in Kaduna have pledged to mobilise their congregations to promote girls’ education and support the return of out-of-school girls to classrooms.
The commitment is part of the Faith and Tradition for Girls’ Education Project, an initiative of Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), supported by the Malala Fund.
The project is piloting the engagement of religious and traditional leaders as advocates for girls’ enrolment, retention and school completion.
It seeks to address barriers including early marriage, pregnancy-related stigma, financial pressures and cultural attitudes that discourage families from investing in girls’ education.
Participating leaders will use sermons, congregational meetings and community engagements to encourage parents to keep girls in school and support those whose education has been interrupted.
Reverend Maaji Caleb Bawa, chairman of CAN in Kaduna, said religious leaders have a responsibility to translate their support for girls’ education into practical action.
‘Every girl deserves the opportunity to learn, develop her abilities and build a future. As Christian leaders, we have a responsibility to turn that conviction into practical support,’ he said.
‘We welcome BBYDI’s pilot bringing faith and traditional leaders together to champion girls’ education. We will encourage our churches to engage parents, challenge attitudes that keep girls out of school and support girls seeking to continue their education, including young mothers.’
Abdullahi Yahaya, the JNI Chairman for Zaria Local Government, who represented the JNI Chairman for Kaduna State, said the initiative aligns with the importance Islam places on seeking knowledge.
‘Seeking knowledge is an important part of our faith, and our daughters must have the opportunity to learn and fulfil their potential,’ he said.
‘Through this initiative with BBYDI, we will encourage imams and other religious leaders to use their sermons and community engagements to speak with families about keeping girls in school. Where a girl’s education has been interrupted by marriage, pregnancy or hardship, our communities should help her return to learning.’
BBYDI is developing sermon guides and advocacy materials with faith leaders, drawing on Islamic and Christian teachings about education.
The materials will address child marriage and encourage families and communities to support pregnant and married girls who wish to return to school.
The organisation is also engaging emirate councils and other traditional institutions to secure their participation in the campaign.
The engagements are expected to culminate in the inauguration of the Kaduna Faith and Traditional Leaders Coalition for Girls’ Education, which will coordinate advocacy across participating communities.
BBYDI has also developed a learning network through which participating leaders will exchange experiences, receive updated advocacy materials and monitor progress in addressing barriers to girls’ schooling.
Alongside community mobilisation, the organisation will advocate a state-level school re-entry protocol to guide the identification, support and re-enrolment of girls whose education has been interrupted by pregnancy, marriage or other circumstances.
It is also seeking a dedicated allocation in the Kaduna state budget for girls’ education, including funding for re-entry programmes, facilities that meet girls’ needs and training for school-based management committees.