Two lecturers with the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Dr Chima Boma-Cookey and Dr Stella Jerry-Chukwu, have identified the elimination of disparities in gender as a key factor in attaining sustainable development in Nigeria.
In their joint paper titled, “Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow”, the lecturers said such elimination would ensure equal access to education and training for both male and female children.
According to Boma-Cookey, and Jerry-Chukwu, who are deputy registrar and medical officer in the school, respectively, “Eliminating gender disparity in education to ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including persons with disabilities, indigenous people and children in vulnerable situations will generally ensure equality in development of individuals and country at large”.
The paper, which was presented as part of activities marking this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD), at the IAUE, Rumuolumeni, stated that elimination of disparities in education was one of the United Nations’ proposed 10 targets for Goal-4, that countries should achieve by 2030.
The other nine proposals are: ensuring increase in the number of adults who have relevant skills, both technical and vocational, for employment and entrepreneurship; ensuring equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational, and training education.
The target is to also ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy; building and upgrading education facilities that are child, disability, and gender sensitive, and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive, and effective learning environment for all.
“All learners are to acquire the knowledge, skills, and competences needed to promote sustainable development through education for sustainable development; globally expand the number of scholarships available to developing countries, particularly least developed; and substantially increased the supply of qualified teachers through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries”.
According to the lecturers, “the implication of not providing girls with equal voices, choices, and opportunities affects not just their lives, but the future of the planet”.
In her welcome address, President of IAUE Women Association, Mrs. Chika Onuchuku, encouraged the womenfolk to always be focused on their aspirations in whatever they seek to attain in life.
Mrs. Onuchuku, who is the wife of the vice chancellor of IAUE, said, “without the woman, there’s no fruitfulness in life… Every woman deserves to be what she wants to be in life, and also attain the apex of her aspirations.
“So, don’t be discouraged because God originally created us as women to multiply in every endeavour we find ourselves”, she said.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo