INTRODUCTION

One of the major challenges of the Girl Child Concerns and Girl-child education in the Northern part of Nigeria in general is the retention of girls in school until they complete their studies. Female students are often withdrawn from school without the knowledge of school authorities and GCC either for marriage or due to relocation of parents. It can even be because the parents are so poor that they can not continue paying school fees for a ‘child who will ultimately leave the house for another family house’ (as culture demands). One of such cases is that of Lydia Ishaya and her cousin Maryam.

STORY

Lydia Ishaya is a beneficiary of GCC’s Female Student Scholarship Scheme (FSSS) who came on board about five years ago through screening. She is eighteen years old of Karkare ward, close to Zuntu under Soba Local Government Area. An intelligent science student of Government Secondary School, Zuntu who almost dropped out of school even before taking her Senior Secondary School mock examination, November/December 2009 in preparation for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) exams to complete her secondary education.

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