MAIDUGURI, Borno State — Traditional leaders, parents, religious figures, and youth gathered at Ngomari 1 Primary School on Saturday to confront the barriers keeping girls out of classrooms across Borno State.
The town hall meeting, convened by BudgIT Foundation with support from the Malala Fund, brought together 26 community members from Ngomari Ward in Jere Local Government Area to discuss girl child education financing.
The venue was offered free of charge by the Lawan of Jere LGA, the area's traditional leader, signalling community ownership of the issue. Facilitator Gideon Innocent opened with a clear message in Hausa: "We did not come to teach you. We came to listen to you."
Participants identified poverty as the primary barrier, alongside early marriage, distance to schools, lack of female teachers, and poor infrastructure. The most animated moment came when a traditional leader reframed a difficult question about choosing between educating a boy or girl: "Send the most intelligent one," he said, rejecting gender-based decisions.
Community members committed to encouraging girls to remain in school, visiting homes of at-risk students, and using community networks to spread awareness. The Lawan pledged continued support for community dialogue.
The session concluded with participants recognizing that government cannot solve these challenges alone. The Education Champions Network will continue supporting the community with budget transparency tools to hold authorities accountable.
The Education Champions Network is a BudgIT Foundation initiative supported by the Malala Fund.
By: sadmohd25@gmail.com | Published: November 1, 2026
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