Bridge Nigeria pupil in class

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bridge International Academies is drawing attention to the urgency of educating African girls this World Population Day (11th July) - the first time Sub-Saharan Africa will have the largest population of children on the planet.

The schools network, which includes Bridge Kenya, Bridge Nigeria and Bridge Uganda, supports children and parents in underserved communities by providing an excellent education.

This World Population Day focuses on the theme of ‘gender equality and women's empowerment as a key factor in reducing poverty.’

Reuben Wambugu, Bridge Group Managing Director, said, “By 2050 Africa and Asia will be home to 85% of the world's young people, with the larger proportion in Africa. Currently, only 10% of children in sub-Saharan Africa are able to read a simple sentence by the age of 10. If these young people aren't provided with an adequate education, there will be a global shortage of scientists, doctors and engineers. This could lead to a range of possible global catastrophes. Educating women and girls has proved particularly effective in reducing poverty on a local level in the short term. And with the children of educated women shown to be healthier and better educated, this leads to faster and sustained poverty reduction through generations.

He continued, “While Bridge has seen fantastic improvements in learning outcomes for all those attending our schools, it is particularly heartening that Bridge’s methodology has succeeded in achieving gender parity in the classroom. A new study by Nobel Prize winning economist Professor Michael Kremer in our Bridge Kenya schools confirms this, finding girls make the same leaps in learning as boys.”

Speaking on the success of Bridge’s methods, Bridge Nigeria Managing Director Foyinsola Akinjayeju said, “Bridge’s model focuses on arming teachers with scientifically proven techniques to elevate the learning of girls. Through approaches, such as gender sensitive instruction in lesson and textbook materials, expecting equal participation through ‘cold calling’ of boys and girls in the classroom and the use of female school leaders as role models, girls are empowered to succeed. By pushing this approach and the importance of women’s empowerment, Bridge Nigeria alone has provided a life-changing education to tens of thousands of girls in underserved communities, helping them complete primary school, do well in secondary school and open up opportunities offering prosperity and success.”

To learn more about the Bridge methodology - visit their website here.

You can reach out to Bridge International Academies at info@bridgeinternationalacademies.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/db9775c7-c35b-483b-b919-d894909f989d