Barriers To Girls Accessing And Acquiring Quality Education In Africa

The major barriers to girls’ accessing quality education include;

1. Poverty; Many families in Africa are unable to afford the costs associated with sending their children to school, such as school fees. Even in areas where there is quite free education and parents don’t have to pay school fees, it is always costly for them to cater for other costs such as scholastic materials, uniforms, transport at the same time supporting household needs.
2. Negative social and cultural norms; cultural barriers such as traditional  gender role, gender-based discrimination, early marriage limit girls from accessing education. It is estimated that around the world,12 million girls are married off every year and most of these girls have dropped out of school or have never set a foot in the classroom. The negative cultural and societal beliefs that surround girls’ education such as the belief that girls belong to the bedroom, the belief that girls belong in the kitchen and taking care of the household chores and the belief that girls become part of her husband’s family and so have little or no motivation of educating their daughters.
3. Conflict and crisis; For African countries hugely impacted by the climate crisis, climate disasters  such as floods are likely to translate into the end of schooling for girls and contributing to the rates of girls being married off young. In times of drought, girls walk long distances and spend much time to collect water which causes them to miss out school or reach school late and tired.
4. Unfriendly school-environments for girls; In most schools, violence and discrimination exist and there is lack of safety, hygiene or sanitation needs of girls such as safe toilets, menstrual products and clean water at school to help them manage menstrual hygiene . The lack of Gender-responsive teaching practices that result in gender gaps in learning also continue to limit girls from staying in school and completing their education.