How Government’s failure to develop Education Sector Plan forces Akwa Ibom Girls out of School

By Ndifreke Enefiok, UYO
The WASH Challenge
It had just finished drizzling that early morning. The grass was wet, and lush as the sun briefly appeared, casting warmth into her classroom. The mathematics teacher was about to begin a lesson on quadratic equations when Esther Nkereuwem (not her real name) asked for permission to relieve herself. Her school, Adiaha Obong Secondary School, Ekpene Ukim is located in Uruan local government area.
Since her school had no washroom, she headed to a nearby bush, a few meters away from the prying eyes of boys. It wasn’t her first time; she had grown accustomed to using this spot as the only “facility” available for girls when nature called.
As she crouched to relieve herself, she suddenly felt a firm grip from behind. A stranger had crept up and attempted to assault her. Terrified, Esther bolted back to school, her urine-soaked uniform clinging to her as she screamed for help.
The danger she narrowly escaped became all too real for the other girls as similar incidents followed, turning each trip to the bushes into a potential nightmare. With no perimeter fence, the school grounds served as a shortcut for villagers, and the bush as the only option for girls needing privacy.
Alarmed by the increasing attacks, and discovery of a decomposing dead body of an unknown villager, the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) scraped together funds to build six toilets—three for girls and three for boys—at a safer location within the school compound.
With limited resources remaining, they hired an elderly woman as a cleaner for these facilities. These efforts have led to reduced missed school days for girls and incidents of attempted sexual assault by village boys lurking in nearby bushes.
With a population of 700 girls and 600 boys, the toilets remain inadequate, especially for the girls, whose facilities are often unbearably over used. This grim reality highlights the urgent need for comprehensive Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools like Esther’s, particularly to protect girls during menstruation.
WASH is part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically Goal 6, which advocates for clean water and sanitation. By 2030, all schools should have access to safe water, hand washing facilities, menstrual hygiene management, and sanitation.
According to a 2022 UNICEF report, millions of girls and women still lack adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene in public places like schools, workplaces, or health centers. This shortfall results in girls missing school and can have severe economic and social consequences.
However, in spite of the progress made by Adiaobong Secondary School administrators to address the WASH needs of girls, some girls still avoid using the toilets for fear of contacting infection due to the large number of users. 16-year-old SS3 student Bright Effiong admits she avoids the facilities, citing the high volume of students that use the toilets.
15-year-old students Glory Monday and Inyeneobong Essien, for example, don’t use the school toilet and rarely miss classes, for fear of falling behind on difficult subjects like mathematics. Instead, they wait over eight hours until they reach home to check or change their pads.
This practice of extended pad use deviates from UNICEF’s recommended 4-6 hour intervals, raising health concerns such as skin irritation, urinary tract infection, discomfort, and body odour. Urinary tests on two students at a government facility, conducted with consents of guardians came back negative. However, a nurse in the hospital, who preferred to stay anonymous, agreed that using poor and unhygienic toilets pose serious health risks and may lead to infection.
Miss Nyeneime Ibritam, a female teacher at the school, highlighted the inadequacies of the existing toilets, underscoring their impact on absenteeism. “We need more facilities, especially separate toilets for girls. If the toilets are inadequate or unhygienic, the girls prefer the comfort of their homes,” she explained.
Where Does Akwa Ibom Stand?
The Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene National Outcome Routine Mapping (WASHNORM) Report 2021 reveals that only 12 percent of schools in Akwa Ibom State have basic WASH facilities, and only two out of the state’s 31 local government areas have even the basic understanding of WASH principles.
Despite developing a draft WASH policy through the Biakwan Light Green Initiative, an NGO, during the Victor Attah administration (1999-2007), 88 percent of schools in Akwa Ibom still lack adequate WASH facilities.
In February 2022, the African Human Development Centre (AHDC), with support from USAID, began implementing the WASH Policy, which was revised in October 2023 to include Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI). And though a WASH sector bill was passed in July 2022 and the state’s Water Bill signed into law on December 30, 2022, by then Governor Udom Emmanuel, these policies have yet to be implemented.
Important policy documents like the WASH Monitoring and Evaluation and Project Roadmap have not been adopted, despite over a year of advocacy by civil society organizations under the Ibom WASH+ Coalition. The failure to adopt and implement these policies, experts say, is blocking funding opportunities for WASH initiatives across schools and communities in the state.
Beyond the funding barriers, experts highlight that the lack of a functional WASH framework and a Gender Responsive Education Sector Plan (GRESP) in Akwa Ibom perpetuates gender inequality, especially for girls during menstruation. Without these essential facilities, girls are denied an equal opportunity to compete academically with their male peers, who generally do not encounter menstruation-related challenges at school.
The High Cost Girls Pay for Missing Gender-Responsive Education Plan in Akwa Ibom
While states like Sokoto, Katsina, Jigawa, Kaduna, and Kano in northern Nigeria have developed gender-sensitive education plans, Akwa Ibom—an oil-rich state in the South-South region—lags behind. The absence of a GRESP, which was earlier confirmed by the state’s Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet during a meeting with our reporter has left girls vulnerable, with no gender-sensitive framework to address the specific challenges they face.
GRESP is critical because it guides governments in identifying and addressing gender barriers in education, helping design evidence-based programmes to ensure equal opportunities for boys and girls. With a GRESP, girls would have safe and clean spaces to manage their menstrual hygiene, thus reducing absenteeism and promoting higher school completion rates.
The 2021 WASH NORM report shows that only 12 percent of Akwa Ibom schools have adequate WASH facilities. Without these, one in five girls in the state misses school during menstruation—a preventable outcome if proper WASH facilities and GRESP were in place. Missing school five days each month translates into 15 missed days per term.
If exams or major projects coincide with these missed days, it not only jeopardises their academic progress but exacerbates educational inequality and adds to the out-of-school population in Nigeria, estimated at 20 million according to UNESCO’s 2022 Global Education Monitoring (GEM) report.
A 2020 report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC) on women and men revealed that Akwa Ibom State had 581,800 out-of-school children with 298,161 being female.
Confronting the Data: A Journey through Akwa Ibom’s WASH Crisis

To understand the full extent of this crisis, we visited schools across two out of the three senatorial districts in the state.
A few days into the new school term in September, our reporter set off from Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, on a rainy Monday morning, bound for Nsit Atai Local Government area – a 44-minute drive away. The journey proved challenging as the nearly abandoned village road was riddled with bone-jarring potholes.
An hour into the challenging journey, our reporter arrived at Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Akpan Ike, in Nsit Atai LGA – coeducational school with over 1,000 students. It quickly became clear that inadequate WASH infrastructure was a common issue. With no toilet facilities for students, the girls are forced to use bushes, or rely on friends to keep watch for any potential danger or prying eyes.

Following standard protocol, our reporter met with the principal to explain the purpose of the visit. Upon introducing herself as a journalist, the principal, a woman in her late 50s, responded firmly, “I am not permitted to talk to a journalist. I can only speak with you if you have a letter from the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). Since you mentioned a survey for the female students, I’ll allow them to fill it out. As for toilets, we don’t have any for students—unless you plan to build us one,” she said while checking through students’ records on her desk.
Our reporter was then directed by a male teacher to the SS3 class, where 30 female students filled out the survey on menstrual-related absenteeism and the impact of inadequate WASH facilities on this issue.
Speaking on the struggle faces by girls, a 16-year-old Senior Secondary three student, Dorcas Emmanuel said, “I don’t check myself in school because we don’t have toilets. I manage my period even if I’m stained until I get home,” she said.

In contrast to her current school, Ukpemeabasi Godwin, another senior student described the ease of access to WASH facilities at her former school in Eket local government area, one of the oil-rich areas in Akwa Ibom.
“My former school in Eket had good toilets. But since my family moved to Nsit Atai and I enrolled in this new school, I haven’t seen any toilets for students. Whenever we need to change our pads or use the bathroom, we go behind some of the blocks. Since it’s an open area, and boys might see us, we go in groups or with friends to keep watch. Sometimes it’s scary because of creepy things in the bush,” she explained.
The issue goes beyond students like Ukpemeabasi.
Aniedi Ime (not her real name), another student, shared a similar experience. “One day, my uniform got stained, and it was my friend who pointed it out. I was so embarrassed,” she said. “Since we don’t have water or toilets in my school, I used my cardigan to cover the stained part of my skirt until school ended. Now, I don’t worry about water or toilets in this school—I just don’t expect it because, to me, this place is a dry land,” she said, letting out a strained laugh.
At Eastern Nsit Secondary School, Odot, the challenges are even more severe. Though the school has a reliable water supply, the tank has not been cleaned in years, making it unusable.
Christiana Effiong, an 18-year-old with dysmenorrhea (painful menstrual cramps that occurs before or during menstruation), explained that she often misses school for several days each month due to the lack of safe, clean facilities.
‘’Even if my school uniform is stained with menstruation, I can’t use the school water to wash myself or drink it because since I came to this school in my junior year, the tank has not been washed. In fact, I don’t drink water when I come to school or look for water here because I don’t want to catch an infection,’’ the young girl explained in the local dialect.
For girls like Salvation, a 16-year-old Press Club member, the struggle has become a routine. She refuses to miss school during her period, choosing instead to endure the discomfort and embarrassment of inadequate facilities.
Nsit Atai: Despite Open Defecation-Free Certification, School Girls in Iwok Risk Infection
In January 2020, Nsit Atai became the only local government in Akwa Ibom State to receive Open Defecation-Free (ODF) certification from National Task Group (NTG) on Sanitation in Abuja, having met the protocol’s requirements. Later that year, on November 25, the local government was reportedly celebrated for attaining an ODF status from UNICEF. Nsit Atai also became the second LGA, after Obot Akara that has been triggered on Wash, according to the WASHNORM 2021 Report.
Despite these milestones, in 2024, schoolgirls in parts of the LGA still lack access to clean and safe toilets, relying instead on nearby bushes to relieve themselves. Where toilets are available, they are often dilapidated, unhygienic, and avoided due to infection risks.
When our reporter visited Community Secondary School in Iwok, the scale of the problem became clear. The school, with over 1,000 students, showed signs of neglect from the signpost to the pothole-riddled path leading to the compound. Although the school has a borehole, the 10 upgraded-pit toilets are insufficient and lack maintenance.
Overgrown with wild grasses and green algae, some toilet doors are broken, and pipes intended to ventilate the sewage are damaged. The toilets, located near the junior classes are entirely unusable, having been blocked for years.
“The toilets just need fixing; they’re still usable. The one near the junior class has been blocked for four years. We’ll clean them since we just resumed for the term,” a male teacher explained.
For some students, like 17-year-old Ndifreke Paul (not her real name), these conditions have led to infections. She now avoids the school toilets entirely. “During my period, I often miss school because there’s no clean place to change. I come to school only when it’s manageable,” Ndifreke said, explaining the difficulty of maintaining her hygiene.
Favour Sunday and Helen Edem, other students, revealed that they prefer using open spaces or nearby bushes to avoid infections. In a group discussion with over 40 senior girls, the students expressed frustration over the lack of sanitation facilities, revealing they have limited knowledge about menstrual hygiene. They added that the information shared with them by their mothers and guardians about menstruation was limited.
Many admitted to missing school during their periods, and it affected their academics. During the interaction, communication was challenging, as many struggled to express themselves in English, so our reporter switched to the local dialect to engage them on their challenges with menstruation and lack of WASH facilities.
Further investigation revealed that low school attendance among girls is common in the area, with some only resuming for second term exams due to economic factors like poverty and child labour.
“The drop-out rate here is high, mostly because of poverty and illiteracy, not just because of toilets. Here, children are sent off to work as housemaids and return only for exams or in second and third term,” the principal explained.
In addition to these challenges, the school faces frequent vandalism by community members, who steal essential amenities. The school pump has been stolen multiple times, and classroom ceilings have been stripped by vandals.
A survey conducted among the girls revealed that 20 percent miss school during their menstrual periods due to a lack of clean toilets and water for washing. Teachers confirmed that this absenteeism negatively impacts their academic performance.
In Uruan: Girls Avoid Broken Toilets, Face Safety Risks in the Bush

When our reporter visited Uruan LGA, the conditions in two of the three schools surveyed were concerning. While some schools had toilets, their poor maintenance rendered them unusable, with clogged pipes and littered floors.
At Methodist Secondary School in Ibiaku Essiet, the flush toilets earlier built in the school was abandoned as decomposing faeces littered the entrance of the toilet. The toilets in use currently are two single one built and dedicated by Rt. Rev. Dr. Ekereobong Moses, Bishop of the Methodist Church Nigeria inside the school library.
With a 3,131 students population (1,625 girls and 1,506 boys), the ratio of facilities fell drastically short of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) standard of one toilet per 30 students. Many girls reported avoiding these facilities during menstruation and instead resorted to nearby bushes, risking both embarrassment and physical safety.
“When I’m on my period, I come to school only if I feel well enough. Otherwise, I stay in a corner, unable to concentrate due to the pain,” said Helen Edem, 16, adding that she and her friends avoid the toilets entirely.
Confirming the students’ account, a staff member who pleaded not to be named, acknowledged the pressing need for proper WASH facilities in rural schools. “Sometimes you’ll see students heading to the bush to relieve themselves. It’s a challenge we face here.”
He also expressed concern over student safety, recounting an incident last term when SS3 girls narrowly escaped an abduction attempt by someone who posed as a WAEC supervisor and tricked the students into following him to the state capital where their phones were stolen from them.
In AME Zion School, Ndon Ebom: Girls Miss School Due to Lack of Toilets
In AME Zion Secondary Commercial School, Ndon Ebom, the lack of accessible toilets has exacerbated absenteeism among female students and increased educational disparities. A survey across the schools visited revealed that girls at AME Zion reported the highest absenteeism, with over 40 percent missing school during their menstrual periods due to inadequate WASH facilities. Girls reported staying home to avoid leaks and irritation from prolonged pad use.
Marvelous Ekpedeme, a 16-year-old SS2 student, said, “I stay home for at least three days during my period because there’s nowhere to change pads at school. If I don’t change by midday, I feel uncomfortable and irritated.”
Asked if these absences impact her studies, she admitted, “Missing school affects my grades. When I return to school and can’t catch up with the lessons, I study less for the ones missed and focus more on Biology and Physics because I’m a science student and I want to become a doctor.”
The principal, Elder Enefiok Udo, confirmed that many girls avoid school during menstruation. “The parents of these girls often can’t afford menstrual pads. They’d rather have them stay home than risk embarrassment in class.”
“If a girl wanted to study medicine but can’t keep up with her studies, she might abandon that dream for something less demanding,” Udo explained.
Not Much Difference in Uyo
Like the rural schools, the same fate was experienced by girls in Uyo local government. In Ikono Ibom Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikot Ayan Ikono, a dilapidated toilet facility greeted our reporter. The school located less than 25 minutes from the state capital reeks of neglect, and many girls in the public school reported missing school due to menstruation.
The difference was not much at Community Secondary Commercial School, Ikot Ekpeyak Ikono and Government School, Ikot Ekpeyak Ikono, and Community Comprehensive Secondary School, Ikot Nsung Ikono. The WASH facilities in these schools as observed by our reporter are an eyesore.
Mothers and Community Leaders Voice Their Concerns
Some mothers have voiced frustration over their daughters’ frequent absenteeism. Mrs. Ime Ekpedeme, a mother, explains: “A good toilet in school would make a difference. When my daughter’s period arrives unexpectedly, she could take care of herself and get back to class without having to run home.” Ekpedeme’s daughter often misses three days of school per month, forced to catch up on missed lessons, which affects her academic performance.
“Her notes from classmates are incomplete, and by the time she catches up, she’s already disadvantaged. I’m considering transferring her to a better school in Uyo,” Ekpedeme added.
Another mother, Mrs. Veronica Eyo, pointed out that missing school due to inadequate sanitation facilities heightens gender inequality and health risks for girls, particularly in rural schools without clean water and privacy.
Etteidung Isaac Obot, the community leader in Iwok Obio Aruan, described proper WASH facilities as essential to reducing out-of-school rates. He urged the government to prioritise public school infrastructure, affirming the community’s commitment to raising awareness about these deficiencies.
CSO Advocacy Ignored by Akwa Ibom Government amid Low WASH Budget
In a 2022 review of Akwa Ibom State’s audited financial statements, Harry Udoh, Chairman of the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Forum, expressed concern over poor funding for the social sector, particularly WASH.
Despite continuous efforts from CSOs like Ibom WASH+ and the African Human Development Centre (AHDC) to underscore the need for adequate facilities, the state government has responded minimally, leaving many schools without proper toilets or safe water.
An analysis of state financial statements reveals chronic neglect in the WASH sector, which consistently receives minimal funding or zero budget releases, despite the urgency and the United Nations’ 2030 SDG timeline. In 2023, the government proposed to construct hand washing stations in 31 public primary schools, yet no funds were released. Although 620 million naira was allocated for similar projects this year, the government’s track record raises concerns about actual implementation.
This year, 520Million naira has been budgeted for it
The state also proposed a project titled, “WASH in Emergency” under the Ministry of Water Resources and Rural Development, now Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation. Nothing was budgeted for it last year but N20 million has been provided this year.
Other WASH projects that received zero budget releases in 2023 are – rehabilitation of existing water facilities/construction in St. Andrew’s Primary school, Ita, rehabilitation of abandoned water scheme in Adiahaobong Secondary school, Ekpene Ukim, and QIC Primary School, Ndiya.
Additionally, the government proposed to construct contactless and Sensored hand washing facilities in 10 different primary and secondary schools and budgeted N590 million. In the 2024 budget, no amount was earmarked for it.
This continuous practice of budgeting for WASH facilities with zero releases underscores a severe disconnect between policy and implementation, and this leaves girls depending heavily on unsafe WASH alternatives.
Experts worry that without follow-through, girls in public schools will continue to rely on unsafe alternatives, perpetuating absenteeism and health risks.
Experts Call for Gender-Responsive WASH Plans to Address Inequality
Experts advocate for government prioritisation and funding of WASH facilities as critical steps to address absenteeism among girls. Without these facilities, girls will continue to miss school, struggle academically, and face diminished futures. The GRESP approach, they argue, would help secure necessary WASH funding, reduce menstrual-related absenteeism, and mitigate educational inequality.
Edidiong Dickson, Policy Alert’s Programme Officer, stressed the importance of prioritising social sectors.
“For now, the perennial practice has been that the social sector has been abandoned, that is education, health, water and sanitation. Those sectors have low or no capital release,” Dickson noted. He explained that without a clear sector plan that disaggregates needs based on gender, the state’s inability to implement gender-sensitive WASH facilities in schools will continue to exacerbate inequality for girls.
Itoro Umoren, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer at AHDC, highlighted that many schools lack private sanitary facilities girls need, particularly during menstruation. This absence creates an uneven playing field between boys and girls.

“How can a girl attend school comfortably without a proper facility to manage her period?” she asked. “Many Akwa Ibom school uniforms are light-coloured, making menstrual stains visible and embarrassing, further deterring attendance.”
Umoren stressed that GRESP-driven policies would ensure a gender-responsive approach to education. “Without GRESP, nothing will change. This policy is essential, and we’re pushing for reforms to make sure it’s implemented,” she explained.
Education consultant Mrs Elizabeth Ogunshola, added, “When girls miss school during critical adolescent years, they fall behind academically, which affects their long-term opportunities, including graduation and higher education.”
Government Officials go Silent
A Senior Staff of the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, who pleaded anonymity highlighted the persistent neglect of the WASH sector. “We had our first budget last year, and nothing was done about WASH in schools. Likewise, this year’s budget—I don’t think they have anything on schools,” the staff stated.
According to the source, WASH projects currently focus on general public areas and specific communities rather than directly targeting educational institutions, adding that the only schools receiving WASH attention from the government are the new model schools currently built across the three senatorial districts in the state.
Despite these glaring issues, government action has been slow. Several calls and text messages sent to the Commissioner for Education, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet to find out what the government is doing to address menstrual-related absenteeism and inadequate WASH issues in public secondary schools, went unanswered. An FOI request sent to the ministry regarding GRESP, and to find out if the state has an education sector plan got no response.
Text message sent to Professor Augustine Akpan, Commissioner for Health as at press time was unanswered. He did answer further calls made to his verified phone number.
Repeated visits to the Department of Statistics, Ministry of Economic Development yielded no result. Mr. Okposin Akpan, Director, Department of Statistics, redirected our reporter to the State Statistician, adding that they are not authorised to release official data “to anyone on the roadside without knowing their intentions.”
Similarly, attempts as getting interview appointment with the General Manager, Akwa Ibom Rural Water and Sanitation (AKRUWATSAN), Engr Saviour Udo were unsuccessful.
The Way Forward
The data is clear: the absence of adequate WASH facilities and GRESP in Akwa Ibom schools is pushing girls out of the classroom, particularly during menstruation. The lack of commitment from the government not only endangers girls’ safety but also deprives them of their right to a quality education.
To meet its obligations under the SDGs and give Akwa Ibom girls a fair chance at academic success, the state must urgently prioritise WASH and GRESP in the 2025 budget. For the girls, safe sanitation facilities are more than just a convenience; they are a fundamental need that impacts their health, dignity, and future.
Additionally, Mr Dickson stressed that to achieve these feats, the government needs a strong political will.
*This report was published with collaborative support from Impact House Centre for Development Communication and System Strategy and Policy Lab (SSPL).