Improving Learning Opportunities and Outcomes for Girls in Africa
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DECEMBER 2013 WORKING PAPERS FROM THE 2013 ECHIDNA GLOBAL SCHOLARS Improving Learning Opportunities and Outcomes for Girls in Africa Adefunke Ekine Madalo Samati Judith-Ann Walker Edited by Xanthe Ackerman and Negar Ashtari Abay THE ECHIDNA GLOBAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM The Echidna Global Scholars Program is a visiting fellowship hosted by the Center for Universal Education (CUE) at Brook- ings that works to catalyze and amplify the work of leaders in girls’ education from developing countries. The Echidna Global Scholars are selected through a rigorous, competitive selection process and spend four months in-residence at Brookings on research-based projects and collaborating with colleagues on issues related to glob- al education policy. Upon return, Echidna Scholars implement projects with their home institutions based on their research findings and join the Echidna Alumni Network. For more information on the Echidna Glob- al Scholars Program, please visit: www.brookings.edu/globalscholars The Center for Universal Education at the Brookings Institution The Center for Universal Education (CUE) at Brookings is one of the leading policy cen- ters focused on universal quality education in the developing world. CUE develops and disseminates effective solutions to achieve equitable learning, and plays a critical role in influencing the development of new global education policies and in transforming them into actionable strategies for governments, civil society and private enterprise. For more about the Center for Universal Ed- ucation at Brookings, please visit: www.brookings.edu/universaleducation ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Adefunke Ekine benefited from comments and data provided by an advisory committee within the Ministry of Edu- I would like to thank Echidna Giving, for sponsor- cation, Science and Technology of Malawi, under ing the Echidna Global Scholars Program, and the management of Chikondano Mussa and the the Center for Universal Education at Brookings. leadership of Anjimile Oponyo. I would like to es- I am appreciative of the research and technical pecially thank the board, management and staff support received from the following individuals: of Creative Centre for Community Mobilization Negar Ashtari Abay, Dominique DeAngelo, Lei- for their technical support and encouragement la Seradj, Khaled Fayyad, and the staff of the throughout the process of this research. Finally, Brookings Library (Cy Behroozi, Sarah Chilton I wish to thank Khaled Fayyad, who provided lo- and Laura Mooney). The author also extends her gistical support, and Leila Seradj and Marta Apa- appreciation to those who provided extensive ricio for their research and editing assistance. and invaluable reviews throughout the drafting process: Rebecca Winthrop, Xanthe Ackerman, Judith-Ann Walker Tamar Atinc, Emily Gustafsson-Wright, Jenny Perlman Robinson, and Randy McGinnis. I also I am grateful to the Echidna Global Scholars appreciate the support of the following individ- Program and Center for Universal Education for uals who provided research support from Nige- the opportunity to stand back and reflect on the ria: Professor Peter Okebukola, Folake Samuel, challenge of child marriage, a problem which Olayinka Adekoya, Olusegun Akinbote, Ayotola troubles me greatly. This paper benefited from Aremu, and Abdalla Uba Adamu. Special thanks the insights of many colleagues and friends. to the Vice Chancellor Oluyemisi Obilade and Xanthe Ackerman, Rebecca Winthrop and the management of Tai Solarin University of Edu- Liesbet Steer gave valuable feedback prior to cation for granting me permission to take a leave and during the writing process. Negar Ashtari of absence to participate in this program. Lastly, Abay’s support was instrumental in the writing thanks to my family, especially my late mother of this paper. I also wish to thank two external Ajibola Adedewe and to Ibielekima Ekine. reviewers, Erin Murphy-Graham and Deborah Harding, whose thoughtful comments result- Madalo Samati ed in substantial improvements to the paper; various colleagues at GPE that provided input; The paper, driven by my personal and work ex- and Cynthia Lloyd, whose feedback helped re- periences with rural communities in Malawi, fine the recommendations. This work could not was made possible through the support of the have been completed without the insights from Center for Universal Education at Brookings. I the other Echidna Scholars, as well as the re- am grateful for insights and invaluable advice search and programmatic support of the staff at and technical support from Negar Ashtari Abay CUE and the Brookings Library. Finally, I would and Xanthe Ackerman. I am also thankful to the likewise like to extend my gratitude to the Ford following individuals for reviewing the paper: Jen- Foundation for supporting the scan of early mar- ny Perlman Robinson, Rebecca Winthrop, Nancy riage in West Africa, from which this study drew. Kendall, May Rihani and Janet Robb. The paper Improving Learning Opportunities and Outcomes for Girls in Africa Center for Universal Education i TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction: Girls’ Education as a Social Movement: The Need for Local Leadership...........................................................1 Xanthe Ackerman, Associate Director and Associate Fellow, Center for Universal Education, The Brookings Institution; Founding Chair, Advancing Girls’ Education in Africa. Statistical Snapshot: Education and Girls in Sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria and Malawi ........................................................5 WEST AFRICA Why Ending Child Marriage Needs to Be an Education Goal: The Case for Improved Coordination between Ending Child Marriage and Girls’ Education Movements in West Africa .....................................6 Judith-Ann Walker, Co-Founder and Managing Director, development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), Northern Nigeria; Ashoka Fellow 2004. NIGERIA Enhancing Girls’ Participation in Science in Nigeria: A Driver for National Development and Social Equality ....................................41 Adefunke Ekine, Lecturer, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ogun State, Nigeria; Country Liaison for the Association of Childhood Education International and State President for the Organisation Mondiale Pour L’Education Prescolaire. MALAWI At the Interface of Policy and Cultural Change: Engaging Communities in Support of Girls’ Education in Malawi ......................................67 Madalo Samati, Director of Programs, Creative Centre for Community Mobilization (CRECCOM). Improving Learning Opportunities and Outcomes for Girls in Africa Center for Universal Education ii Introduction: Girls’ Education as a Social Movement The Need for Local Leadership Xanthe Ackerman Girls’ Education as a Social Movement of education can boost a woman’s wages by 10- 20 percent.4 here is much to celebrate in girls’ education. TSince the Education for All movement and Despite these impressive returns, progress to- the setting of the Millennium Development Goals ward achieving the education target in Millenni- (MDGs) in 2000, the number of out-of-school um Development Goal 3, “to eliminate gender girls at primary school level has dropped from disparity in primary and secondary education 58.9 million in 2000 to 30.7 million in 2012 by 2015”, has flatlined since 2008 in the face and the share of girls that make up the out-of- of the global recession, decreased investment, school population has decreased from 58 to 53 and the challenge of providing services to the percent.1 This progress is the result of deliberate hardest to reach. In 2001, there were 14.4 mil- action at global and national levels to reform lion more girls out of school at primary age than and expand school systems, and to enroll both boys. In 2008, this figure dropped to 4.1 mil- girls and boys in schools. In some circles, this lion, but between 2008 and 2011 progress halt- has led to a false impression that gender parity ed. The 7 million more girls out of school than in education has been achieved and that there boys—or the Girls Gap—is disproportionately is no longer a need for a policy focus on girls’ concentrated in a handful of countries—such as education and gender equality. Somalia, Afghanistan, Togo, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the The benefits of girls’ education on girls and their Congo—where girls are still outnumbered two future families have long been recognized. A to one. Those most affected are poor, rural girls mother’s level of education is more indicative of who face overlapping forms of marginalization.5 a child’s health and schooling than the level of education of the child’s father.2 Educated wom- In sub-Saharan Africa, regional and local sta- en are less likely to die in childbirth and less like- tistics are far behind global averages. The gross ly to have children who are affected by stunting. enrollment rate (GER) for males in secondary If all women had a secondary education, the school at the global level is 69 percent, com- number of child deaths in the world would be pared to 67 percent for females.6 In contrast, cut in half. Girls with higher levels of education in sub-Saharan Africa the gender parity index are likely to get married later, have children later (GPI)—an index that measures the relative ac- and have fewer children. Education also helps cess to education of males and females—is .78 women find work and narrow the wage gap with for net enrollment at the secondary level. Girls their male peers.3 In fact, each additional year Introduction: