Our Girls Were Being Intimidated Out Of School

Why did you decide to establish a girls-only secondary school when you already had a secondary school for both boys and girls?
What really happened was that there was a study that we did and found out that there are so many out-of-school girls. When we interviewed them to find out why they are not going back to school, because all the schools in Eleme Local Government Area are all mixed schools, we found out that some of them were very shy in the class. If you asked questions and while answering questions they had a problem and did not answer well, they were humiliated by the boys. So, for that, some of them are so shy that they dropped out of school.
So, we asked them that if we found a school where we could only have female students can you people cope? They said yes. We found out that there are so many girls at home. So, we said if we allowed this thing to go on, in the next 10, 20 years there is going to be a problem in Eleme and Eleme is expanding every day.
So, we decided to set up a purely girls-only school. That is how we started, I and some persons who were interested. It was not everybody that was interested.
We started, then by March last year, government approved the school. We started Junior Secondary One, Government Girls Secondary School, Alode. It was the community that set up the structure, not the government.
The community built the classrooms?
It was not the government. It was the community.
Did government give setting up the building as a condition for approving the school?
We started it. Based on that we had to approach the government. And when they came, they found out that there was facility on the ground so, there was something that could carry whatever they needed on ground. So, we started.
And now, we found out that it is really helping. Almost all of them that were at home have now been registered at the school. If you go there like today, the new session has started, even the JS3 people are going in. And it is really helping out. Most of those girls that would have dropped out completely are happy now to go back to school.
Besides, we were interested in getting the girls prepared for the future when they are still young. We felt it was the best time to catch them young when they are between the ages of eight and 20. If you fail with them at this age you may never get it right again with them. So, that was another motivation.
Apart from the classroom blocks that the community gave out to government for the school, are there other contributions that the community made to the school, like paying the salaries of the teachers?
For now, we are taking care of the security because in all the schools in Eleme, there is no government security. It is even the security we are using that is helping the primary school in the premises.
How many classrooms are there?
We have about 12 classrooms.
Do you intend to go beyond junior secondary school level?
We have a block that can take up a senior secondary; another eight-classroom block that can take up senior secondary. We are preparing for SS1. We are making arrangements to apply for the approval of senior secondary so that when we finish the children will not have to look far to continue their education.
Are you impressed by the performance of the school so far?
We are very impressed with the performance of the teachers. The teachers that the government sent to the school are doing very well. You’d think it’s a private school, well organized. Everything is there.
Apart from the academic activities, what they study in the classrooms, what about the extracurricular activities like games etc.?
There are fields. We have a standard football field where they do their sports.
I saw the logo of Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited on the fence of the school…
Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited did the fencing for us. If that place is not secured by fencing we would have problems. And we approached the Port Harcourt Refinery so, they came in and fenced the school. They even helped us in renovating some of the buildings.
What about school fees?
They don’t pay fees. It is a government school. It’s approved by government. It’s just like every other government school.
Is the school open to people who are not from the community?
Everybody, every child whether you are from Alode or not; even those who are there now, 90 percent of them are from outside Alode.
What’s the enrolment figure?
They are more than 200 now. JS1 is over 100. I don’t have the details. They have 50 in a class.
Do you think this will take care of all the girls that need secondary education in Alode who are out of school?
It will for now. We are also making arrangements for government to come and set up more buildings because the school is growing. Many girls are really going to the school since it is the only girls’ school in Eleme.
Weren’t boys dropping out of school too?
Yes. But the dropping out of school of the female child was more than that of boys. Almost all the schools in Eleme are mixed schools: Eteo, Ebubu, Alesa, Ascension High School, Ogale, Community Secondary School, Alode.
Is there any relationship between the Government Girls Secondary School, Alode and the proposed Eleme National College, Alode?
It’s the Community Secondary School, Alode that they are trying to change the name to give it a broader outlook. It is not that it’s a new school.
Apart from the educational needs of girls are there other needs of girls in your community that you are tackling?
Yes. Most times, we also organize skills acquisition programmes for women in the community.
. Can you name any of them?
We normally give them skills acquisition in soap making, baking, catering and aquaculture. We organise them for the girl child.
Of recent, the talk about protecting the rights of women has come up, especially when it comes to inheritance of property. How is it like in your community?
It is not well pronounced in my community. You may be aware that education started in Alode. The first primary school in Eleme started in Alode community. The first church in Eleme started in Alode community. So, because of that exposure from 1910, Alode has been very close and having a good relationship with the female and male members of the community and there is no much discrimination in my community.
There is this aspect of it. When they say women cannot inherit property in their father’s house…
If that is the tradition, it is not well pronounced in our community.
Are there incentives for the girls that perform exceptionally like giving them scholarships?
We do. The stakeholders in the community usually come out to organize things to make them feel a sense of belonging. They offer scholarships to motivate them.
Are women included in your community development committee and are they involved in the decision making systems of the community?
Yes. We have women who are members of the CDC.
How do you involve them?
At every meeting we make sure they are there in the decision making. They are always around. We don’t do anything without the w