Unraveling the Challenges and Prospects in Building the Girl Child Resilience and Education in FCT Abuja, Nigeria

This study examines the challenges and prospects in building the girl child resilience and education in FCT Abuja, Nigeria. The study noted that the girl child’s capacity for resilience and the resilient strategies used to build the girl child education in Nigeria is crucial given the significance of education, particularly its socioeconomic aspects. In this study, surveys, focus group discussions, observation and interviews were carried out at different points across the 6 Area Councils in Abuja FCT. The population of the study is 600 respondents from the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, however, a representative sample size of three Hundred and Sixteen respondents (316), were randomly sampled for the study. Questionnaires/Interviews focus group discussions, observation method and surveys were used to gather data for the study. 15 semi-structured Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) for each Area, 2 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with 2 key stakeholder groups were conducted in each Area Council. The study revealed that breaking cultural barriers, mass media, religious sensitization on girl-child education, free education for all and reorientation on male-child preference as some of strategies in building the girl-child education. The study has also shown that male-child preference in families, obnoxious cultures against the girl child, the ethnic affiliation of the girl child, the socio-economic condition of the family, the level of income of the family and education and early marriage and unwanted pregnancy will impact negatively in building the girl child resilience and education. Access to positive, optimistic languages and critical thinking, establishing a growth mind set on the girl child can encourage the girl child resilient in the face of societal bias on girl child education.