Freed Chibok Girls resume school In September

The federal government has said that the released Chibok girls would resume school in the next academic session scheduled for September.

During a lunch with the released Chibok girls and their parents in Abuja at the weekend, the minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Senator Aisha Alhassan revealed.

Mrs. Alhassan said that the programme was coming to an end and the girls are due to return to school in the first academic session of 2017.

She said, “They will be examined academically and placed appropriately, the ones that are qualified to enter into the university will be allowed to.”

Alhassan also disclosed that the American University, Yola had indicated interest in supporting 21 of the Chibok girls.

According to the minister, “We are also meeting with the university to support the remaining girls so that they all can be in one place.

“So we are talking to see how the others can be accommodated not necessarily by them bearing the cost or anything because we have many people that want to support the education of the girls in addition to government readiness.”

She appealed to the abductors to release the remaining girls, calling for dialogue with the government.

“Negotiation with Boko Haram is still going on.

”You know the first 21 were released in October last year and about six or seven months later.

”The 82 came so negotiations are still going on and we are hopeful by the grace of God that the rest will be released also.

“They should dialogue and see reasons and that whatever it is, they should come to the table.

“Government is ready to dialogue with them. They should dialogue with government to bring an end to this thing that is affecting us.”

According to Mrs. Alhassan, the escaped 14 Chibok girls, who were released three years ago were given scholarships by the American University of Nigeria, Yola.

She maintained that the girls were properly examined academically, adding that they started a foundation courses for them.

The minister, however, pleaded for the release of the remaining Chibok girls and others in captivity, adding that the abductors should dialogue with government.

Mr Reginald Briggs, the Assistant Vice President of America University, Yola, said that the girls were initially traumatised but had made significant progress.

“We have 24 of the Chibok girls with us, we try to keep their academic levels up by assessing them emotionally, psychologically, academically and we found out that they are at different academic levels.

“They have foundation in English, Mathematics and General Knowledge and gradually we moved them to advanced stage.

“They are studying difference courses such as journalism, computer science, accounting and law,” he said.

Briggs posits that the university was working toward supporting the 82 Chibok girls to be enrolled into the university.

The Chairman of the Chibok Girls’ Parents, Mr Yakubu Nkeki said that parents of the girls were happy meeting their children and appreciated the efforts of the government.

Mrs Catherine Udida, the Head of the Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, Office of the National Security Adviser, noted that the Chibok girls were fit psychological as they had gone through various tests.

One of the Chibok girls, Miss Rhoda Peter appreciated the efforts of government and well-meaning Nigerians who had supported them.

Another Chibok girl, Miss Hauwa Ntakai, who said she wants to be a medical doctor, express her gratitude to the government for helping her to achieve her dream.