For almost everyone under the age of eighteen in the United States, there is a pretty set day routine from Monday through Friday. That population wakes up, goes to school, and repeats. Now, it is legal in most states to drop out at the age of sixteen, but that's besides the point. The point is everyone goes to school. Many other countries aren't as fortunate as the United States in terms of having a public school system. In impoverished nations like Sudan, Nigeria, and Iran, school is a luxury only the elite can afford and of those able to pay, it is majority boys. So, what about girls? Girls and school are two words that do not go together in the majority of the world. In most cultures, girls are still bound by cultural requirements to be strictly mothers and wives; their sole purpose to fulfill the needs of others. With that being said, the option of education for girls is something many do not have, especially in rural Nigeria. 

When looking at this matter from a Western perspective, it may appear that this is a one-sided issue. It only seems logical that countries should be forcing families to send all their girls and children to school! But, the issue is so much more complicated upon understanding the cultural dynamics and traditions of theses countries. Imagine living in a rural village, hundreds of miles from the nearest paved road, where the word "school" is something out of a fairy tale. If the concept of school was this elusive compared to the centuries old tradition of being a wife and mother, it may become easier to understand why it is so easy for girls to accept their role into society. Additionally, for the few girls who are able to enroll in school, they face constant danger from groups like Boko Haram, a terrorist group against the Western education of girls as it violates their religious beliefs (CNN). With that threat a top of the expensive school fees, many parents find it safer to keep their girls at home. 

From my standpoint, education for girls is a necessity that needs to be implanted and popularized in third world countries, especially in Nigeria. Just think, there are almost 58 million girls who do not attend school, and if those 58 million girls could be educated, the repercussions would be monumental (A World at School). It would essentially create a waterfall effect on world improvement. In short girls go to school, obtain jobs, earn money to take care of herself, her family, and boost her country's economy, not to mention the girl's lowered risk of contacting HIV/AIDS, being a victim of sex trafficking, and having children she is not ready to have (The Girl Effect). For example, "If young Nigerian women had the same employment rates as young men, the country would add $13.9 billion to its GDP annually" (Girl Effect). Overall, the education of girls has the potential to reduce world poverty and help struggling nations achieve stability. 

I consider myself qualified to speak about this matter because I have been involved with education organizations for impoverished nations like Uganda and Nicaragua in both high school and college. I also attended an all-girls high school where our theme senior year was education. Therefore, I have studied the issue of girls' education extensively over the years. And most importantly, as a girl who has been lucky enough to receive an education, I can only do my best to help other girls have the same opportunity as myself. 

In regards to the education of girls, there are extensive benefits for girls, especially when it comes to their health. In many rural villages in Nigeria, child marriage is still a normal occurrence as almost "15 million girls worldwide are married before they turn eighteen" (A World at School). Because it is common for girls to be married to men much older than them, childbirth is a leading cause of death for girls and young women in Nigeria (Wolfe). If a girl attends school, she is likely to be married at an older age which increase the longevity and healthiness of her life. 

Although the female menstrual cycle is a rather hush topic worldwide, it is particularly taboo in rural villages to the point where some girls spend their time of the month in complete isolation. Because there is a lack of restroom facilities and proper hygiene products, girls who are in school are forced to miss several days to a week every month. Over time, they become so behind in class they end up dropping out. For instance, the organization Days for Girls creates sustainable feminine hygiene products for girls so they do not have to miss school. In 2015, this organization visited Gembu, Nigeria and changed the lives of young girls as their biological makeup no longer interfered with their education. 

Equality among genders is an issue prevalent across the globe, but especially concentrated in third world countries like Nigeria. In those nations, women are viewed and treated as second class citizens or even objects. Therefore, educating them is considered a waste because a women's sole purpose to is reproduce. Unlike how women have rights in the United States, many foreign governments do not strictly enforce fair treatment of men and women. Many times, even if a girl wanted to go to school, she would be prohibited by her family and village.

Aside from gender and health obstacles, there are monetary problems involved with building and funding schools. In countries like Nigeria, the government does not have the tax power to create a public school system. Even if school taxes were implemented, the majority of the nation is too below to poverty line to pay. If a family is able to afford to send their daughter to a private school, there is the additional cost of books, food, uniform, and shoes. Because of many families' fluctuation incomes, they often times have to pull their daughter from school because they cannot afford the fees for that semester or year. According to the World Inequality database, Nigeria is ranked eleventh for highest percentage of poor females who have never attended school. Among girls aged seven to sixteen, only 51% have never attended school. Nigeria is also ranked 30th for the average number of years of education poor women aged seventeen to twenty-two at four point one years (World Inequality Report). 

With those daunting statistics, it is clear that education for girls in Nigeria is not the norm. Any attempts for education in Northern Nigerian is met with violent consequences from Boko Haram. In 2014, the group kidnapped 276 girls who attended school in Borno state. Now, in 2016, the majority of these girls are still in captivity. With the goal of "regulating girls to the household" (Hatch), Boko Haram encourages "customary practices, and ideologies that function together to systemically privilege boys and men, while disadvantaging girls and women" (Wolfe, 280). Part of this religious and cultural discrimination against girls and women severely restricts their freedom and the opportunities they have in life. 

With the power of an education, there is "a range of social benefits associated with schooling for girls, including higher wages  ...  use of more productive farming benefits  ...  and increased participation in politics" (Wolfe, 279). According to the Girl Effect, a woman invests almost 90% of her dollar earned back into her family whereas men invest an average of 35%. Because an educated woman is more likely to send her own children to school, she is able to help create a life for her family that helps them escape living in poverty. Besides benefiting her family, a woman who is able to expand her influence to her community as well. 

Meet Mama Joy, a woman from Lagos, Nigeria who owns her own restaurant and catering company. She "has been able to send six of [her] children to the graduate level in the university" because of her thriving business (Ehidiamen). She also has sixteen employees and so with her business, she is able to help her family, her community, and the economy. With 70% of Nigerians living below the poverty line, Mama Joy has defied the odds and is vocal about her beliefs that women should be more "industrious" and "not depend solely on the men." Her independent spirit is one shared by countless of other young girls who are inspired to make a career of their own just like Mama Joy. 

Although there is an abundance of information regarding the benefits and necessity of girls' education, it is crucial to acknowledge the controversial reasons surrounding it in Nigeria. Boko Haram is a terrorist group, but they oppose all forms of Westernization. Rather than suffer the fate of being killed or married off to a Boko Haram fighter, many girls in Boko Haram territories do not attend school for that reason. 

Similar to Boko Haram's traditional ideals for women, the rural villages of Nigeria tend to share the same views because they are so removed from the urbanization of cities. The concept of girls attending school would be revolutionary and scandalous to many because it is so rare. And following the way of the village is often easier than breaking the status quo so girls fall into being child brides and mothers for only their daughters to repeat the same cycle. Since women are not considered equal to men, it is not abnormal for them to not go to school and reside solely in the house. Many families fail to realize that earning an education does not compromise a girl's femininity and her role as a mother and wife. Education only delays the marriage process, a substantial factor in reducing the number of child marriages. 

Once again, if staying in the home as all one has ever known, it is very difficult to imagine a different life. After being treated as property, it is hard for a woman to realize that she has a brain, she is smart, and she can learn. Girls who are not ecstatically wishful about going to school usually cannot conceptualize something they have never encountered or experienced before. Consider it like the Geico commercial with the cave man living under the rock. He is happy and content under his rock and has no idea of the outside world. Therefore, he does not believe he is missing out on any life experiences or in the case of educating girls, basic rights. 

So, even though some many argue that girls are benefiting from not attending school because they are being good family members and following tradition and culture, the positive impact of an education trumps all opposition. And the best part is, girls can still maintain tradition by getting married and having kids, but also earning an education. Many parents, according to the Nigerian study in Urubi, view marriage and education as an either or decision whereas it does not have to be. 

Even though girls in Nigeria are still currently struggling to earn the basic right of an education, the awareness about the issue is spreading. Here at the University of South Carolina, an organization called Circle of Sisterhood works to raise money to build schools in rural villages. Even on a simpler scale, one can donate money to organizations like One Girl and Unicef who support and fund the education of girls in destitute countries. Because education is so crucial to the betterment of the future, countries around the globe should strive to make an impact through education. Education should be considered a right, not a luxurious privilege. 

