In Niger, girls’ schooling is fast developing, particularly in secondary education, with 45% of girls in the Final Exam candidates.

Supporting Girls’Schooling Project

In order to support girls’ schooling and to counter discrimination, the Niger State has implemented the Girls’ Schooling Support Project (SCOFI), specifically, by appointing staff in charge of promoting girls’ schooling in primary and secondary education, The male and female SCOFI delegates are educational professionals, qualified, and experienced in teaching.

Madame Issa Aïchatou Dan Badio Doka is SCOFI supervisor for secondary schools in the Dogondoutchi Departmant, Every town in the Department has a Primary School supervisor, In the Dankassari rural community, the supervisor is Mrs Fassouma Algutek, All of them were interviewed for Tarbiyya Tatali Magazine n°10, What mainly appears is that they are deeply involved in their mission but lack necessary means to achieve it, Consequently, AECIN and AESCD have requested funding to allow RAEDD to support the SCOFI delegates of the Dogondoutchi Dpt and Dankassari community.

Activities carried out

• screenings of the film “A trio of girls in Dankassari” and organization of discussion sessions on the misdeeds of early marriages with the SCOFI delegates. A first mission took place in the middle-schools of Dankassari at the end of May 2019,
• at the end of 2019, equipment of the SCOFI manager of Dankassari with a computer and motorbike, provision of resources for awareness-raising missions, purchase of projection equipment entrusted to RAEDD,
• early in 2020, awareness missions took place in nine primary schools in the Dankassari rural district where the percentage of girls is low, Chanono, Toullayé ; Tougana peul, Jigarwèy , Danzouré, Kolfa 1, Nakigaza , Sarkin rouafi,, Kamrey peul Tounzourawa. The total enrolment in those schools amounts to 1247 students, including 290 girls, (23% of the total). The total enrolment on primary schools in Dankassari amounts to 16 947 girls, i.e. 46% of the enrolment. The booklet (My Health and My Teenager’s Rights: what must know) has been printed up to 200 copies and offered to primary schools. From early in 2020 to June 2020, three awareness sessions have been led by Mrs Mahamadou Assouma Alguiteck in nine selected primary schools, based on the following program: introduction, more about the matter, film show “Three girls in Dankassari”. The first two missions were carried out on a motorbike and the third in the RAEDD vehicle. A similar action was carried out in 2021 in ten primary schools in Dankassari, in Dogon Tapki, Douzou, Kadandamé, Lougou Dan Gari, Koukadim, Faya, Lillato Garin Yama, Koumaye, Mantangarey and Koukadim. It was renewed in 2022 for the twelve primary schools of Karki Malan, Tsaba Aboula, Jarkassa, Kamrey center, Kolfa2, Marake Rogo, Moullela, Bawada Dagi Sanke, Karki dan gao, Angoual kassa, Kolmey peul, Koujak.
• At the college level, awareness-raising missions were also carried out by the SCOFI delegate for secondary education, Mrs. MADAME Issa Aichatou. They involved 37 rural colleges, out of the 46 colleges in the department of Doutchi, identified as having a percentage of girls of less than 40%. Between 2019 and 2022, the 37 middle schools were visited, i.e. a total of nearly 7,700 middle school students and parents of students benefited from this awareness raising on keeping girls in middle school and the fight against early marriage.

The SCOFI delegates meet mothers and daughters separately for a training session in menstrual hygiene. Having separate toilets for girls improves their safety and helps to further school attendance.