The Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, said on Monday that the May/June 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examination results of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls were ready.
The over 200 girls were abducted in April when members of the Boko Haram sect invaded the Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.
The over 200 girls were abducted in April when members of the Boko Haram sect invaded the Government Secondary School, Chibok in Borno State.
Their whereabouts remain unknown over 150 days after the sad incident.
The students were taking their examinations when the sect members interrupted the exercise.
Shekarau, who appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Education in Abuja, informed the lawmakers that the Ministry of Education was reviewing the results.
He stated that the review was necessary because the examinations became “haphazard” as a result of the abduction.
He was responding to a question by a member of the committee, who sought to know the fate of the girls.
The minister, who assured the committee that the Federal Government had not lost hope in its bid to secure the release of the girls, added that efforts were also being made to improve on girl child education generally in the North-East zone.
Shekarau said, “By 1pm today (Monday), the President (Goodluck Jonathan) has scheduled a meeting in which I am attending, specifically to address some of the issues of girl child education in that troubled zone. In fact, this morning, I got a communication from the West African Examinations Council that the result of the Chibok Secondary School is out. We (ministry) have to look at it (result) via-a-viz the security situation and implication before the formal release.
“It is right now in my possession. Because when the abduction took place, some remained and completed their examinations, some were taking examinations before they were abducted. So, the result is haphazard. So we are addressing that this afternoon. This is just for the information of the honourable members. It is also a matter of great concern to us. I am sure by 1pm, four, five of us will be sitting with Mr. President to address this issue.”
The minister was primarily invited by the committee to shed light on the decision of the Federal Government to re-open schools on September 22 as against the earlier date of October 13, following the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in the country.
It will be recalled that while government’s efforts to rescue the girls have yet proved positive, about 11 of their parents are reported to have died.
Some Nigerians, using the social media, also launched a campaign, #BringBackOurGirls, in a bid to continuously put the government on its toes.
