Psychosocial Educational and Economic Impact of COVID-19: Implication for Girl Child Education through Social Studies in Northeast Nigeria

Abstract

The main purpose of this chapter is to examine the psychosocial educational and economic impact of COVID-19 and implication for girl child education through social studies in Northeast Nigeria. COVID-19 pandemic emerged as a global health problem toward the end of 2019. It has presented attendant consequences on human health and the global economy. Families’ socioeconomic status cannot afford the psychosocial and educational needs, which later affects the psychological development of children. Psychosocial means the close associations between psychological aspects of the human experience and the wider social experience and then psychosocial education is the term used to refer to awareness regarding unhealthy relationships and maladaptive behaviors among individuals and the families. COVID-19 pandemic affected almost 1.6 billion students across 190 countries of the world, representing 94% of the world’s school going children do to school closures, Nigeria is inclusive. A girls’ child is biological female offspring from birth to eighteen years of age. This period is made up of infancy, childhood, and early and late adolescence age. As a problems solving and value-laden discipline in it nature, social studies education are school subject that could be used in addressing the challenges of psychosocial and psychological problems caused by COVID-19 to individual’s girls’ child.

1. Introduction

The Coronavirus disease known as COVID-19 emerged in the city of Wuhan, China around the end of 2019 and was declared a worldwide pandemic on 11th of March 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Coronavirus pandemic has changed the setting, atmosphere, and magnitudes of security threats facing humanity and brought to attention the significance of health security in developing nations. Moreover, there are almost 259,502,031 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 5,183,003 deaths worldwide, as of 25th November 2021 [1, 2, 3].

Pandemics are diseases of very different kinds that exhibit a variety of epidemiologic features. A pandemic is a widespread outbreak of a deadly disease or virus that cuts across boundaries, race, religion, and levels of education, which normally affects health, lives, countries, governments, means of livelihood of individuals, communities, and generally the public [4]. A virus that caused pandemic is called influenza A (HINI) PDM09 also, known as the novel influenza virus. From 1918 to 2020, the world has witnessed a series of pandemics, Spanish influenza occurred in 1918 and it was caused by an H1N1 influenza A virus (IAV) strain. Also, Asian influenza, which occurred in 1957, was caused by an H2N2 IAV draining, similarly Hong Kong flu, a pandemic that occurred in 1968 was caused by an H3N2 IAV strain. In 2003, Canada experienced the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), the resurgence of the Ebola pandemic in the mid-millennium in Guinea in 1976 in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. From 2009 to 2010, pandemics caused the deaths of 151,700–575,400 worldwide [5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11].

In Nigeria, the first case of COVID-19 pandemic was confirmed in Lagos State on 28 February 2020. It quickly spread to all the 36 States of the federation, including Abuja the federal capital. On 26 March, 2020, the Federal Government of Nigeria announced the lockdown of Lagos and Abuja, and later a national lockdown as a result of widespread of the disease, as part of the effort to contain the spread of coronavirus pandemic [12]. The announcement of lockdown by the governments as one of the global measures for controlling the spread of the ravaging dreaded pandemic has brought about adverse mental health problems, particularly among the girl children in Nigeria. The cases of Coronavirus in Nigeria [13, 14] reported that, as of 29th November, 2021, there were 3862 confirmed cases, 2976 deaths, and 197,143 recovered cases.

Omede and Etumabo in Ref. [15] and Offorma in Ref. [16] describe that “girl children are indeed female children between births to adolescents’ age of eighteen (18) years.” However, this period is made up of four important stages, that is, infancy, childhood, and early and late adolescence stages of development. Similarly, Fareo and Ateequ in Ref. [17] state that, most societies of the world due to strong religious and cultural beliefs defined a girl child as an undeveloped female person, who would eventually after growing into woman end up marrying, give birth, and take care of the home and the children. Also, girl children are female children between infancy and early adulthood. More so, during this period of development, they are under the custody and supervision of adults who may be their parents or guardians and siblings. The COVID-19 pandemic declared wars against the education of girl children in Nigeria. The education of a girl child is under crisis and threat, particularly those girls that are coming from low-income families.

The number of children not attending formal school system in Nigeria has increased from the initial figure of 10.5 to 13.2 million. The rising figures stipulate that Nigeria has the larger figure of out-of-school children in the world. Inappropriately, the larger percentages are from the northeast region of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states where Boko Haram and ISAWP insurgency in the area are responsible factors. Prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, violence, child early and forced marriages, lack of schools, inadequate buildings, unsafe environments, limitations in teacher’s training, and systematic gender biases impeded girls’ participation and learning in formal schooling across Nigeria, the global citizens [18].

Depression means mood disorder. Also, it can be described as feelings of sadness, loss, or anger that interfere with a person’s everyday activities. Depression is a common illness worldwide [13], it is estimated that 3.8% of the world population is affected by depression, these categories include 5.0% adults and 5.7% adults older than 60 years. Nearly 280 million people in the world have problems of depression.

“Ravenhills [19] defined psychosocial education to mean, the knowledge given to particular groups of individuals with unhealthy relationship and maladaptive behavior, persons and families.” Psychosocial education is relevant to the categories of individuals with psychosocial and psychological problems in order to promote healthy relationships in the individual.

Social Studies education has come to be accepted as [20] “a school subject that should assist students to acquire the basic knowledge, skills, and positive attitudes needed to be responsible citizens and contributing members of society.” Also, Mumini and Hussaini in Ref. [21] and Jekayinfa in Ref. [22] discuss that the central focus of Social Studies is man, the physical and social environment (the entirety of men’s culture and beyond) is of interest of Social Studies; what man eats, wears, lives, and makes the physical environment conducive for existence are the basis for Social Studies enclosure into to school curriculum.” It also deals with man in various perspectives as the scientist, technologist, culture maker historian, politician, and man as being influenced by his culture and conditions of the contemporary world. Therefore, the purpose of this chapter is on psychosocial educational and economic impact of COVID-19: Implication for girl children education through Social Studies. Specifically, the study was to ascertain how psychosocial educational support through Social Studies will impact the girl children with psychosocial problems and how these problems affected their education during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

2. Conceptual clarifications

2.1 COVID-19 pandemic

The 2019 novel Coronavirus disease known as COVID-19 emerged in the city of Wuhan, China around the end of 2019 and was declared a worldwide pandemic on 11th of March 2020 by the World Health Organization (WHO) [23], it defined Coronaviruses as a group of viruses in the family of Coronaviridae that infects both humans and animals. COVID-19 signs and symptoms can range from mild to severe. As a major public health emergency [24], China defines COVID-19 as a category B infectious disease [10]. COVID-19 refers to Coronavirus Disease 2019 and it belongs to the families of SARS-CoV2, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronaviruses 2; SARS-CoV, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus; and MERS CoV, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus related to H1N1, Hemagglutinin Type 1 and Neuraminidase Type 1, and H5H1 Hemagglutinin Type 5, and Hemagglutinin Type 1 respectively. The signs and symptoms of COVID-19 include respiratory symptoms, fever, shortness of breath, and cough [25].

2.2 Lockdown scenario

The primary purpose of lockdown during emergency situation is to crush the outbreak of diseases among peoples, the diseases could be, SARS-CoV2, Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronaviruses 2, SARS-CoV, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, MERS CoV, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus disease; and the African Ebola disease. During the lockdown period, the anticipated role of the government is to impose a law that would regulate the movement and also enforce people to remain at home for certain period. The lockdown scenario should strictly prohibit large gathering of people in one place, for example, place of religions, markets, schools, hotels, and nightclubs among others [26]. Referring to the opinion of the health experts who have suggested that a complete lockdown is the only measure to stop the exponential infectivity rates of the virus.

In Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari administration announced the first phase of lockdown on 27th April, 2020, the lockdown period commenced between 4th and 7th May, 2020 for two weeks in the federal capital territories (FCT) Abuja and Lagos [8]. Similarly, the second phase of lockdown was announced on 18^th May, 2020 and ended on 1^st June, 2020 respectively. More so, two weeks extension of the first phase was further declared, which lasted from 18 May to 1 June 2020. However, the second phase of the gradual easing of the lockdown commenced on 2 June 2020 and lasted for four weeks, which ended on June 29, 2020 as directed by the federal government of Nigeria.

Lockdown has numerous effects. Parvin et al. in Ref. [27] studied on the Psychosocial Anxiety from Lockdown Due to COVID-19 to Income Earner of the Family: An Evidence from Northern Bangladesh. The study attempts to understand the socio-economic crisis and mental stress in managing the family within the limited resources of Bangladesh during the lockdown period. The outcome of the study revealed that lockdown scenario has consequences on men’s socioeconomic status and states of psychological development, and it has also attendant health and mental problems, sleeping disorders, reinforcement of hardship on medical system, and inabilities of some families to meet up their obligations, generating short displeasure and confusion in the family.

2.3 Psychosocial problems

The lockdown measures posed a terrible effect on the soci0-economic activities of the people in many states of Nigeria [28], including activities such as religious worship, marriage ceremonies, market activities of buying and selling, and movement of goods and services from one state to another or within the state. The COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria accorded with the security challenges also added salt to the body physique of Nigerians and brought down development indices to all-time low with underdevelopment and unemployment rate currently at 55% with an external debt burden of 79.5 billion dollars [29]. The outbreak of this virus in Nigeria also brought about a decline in the Growth Domestic Product, which was contracted by −2.48; household purchasing power declined, inflation rose to 14.7%, and 40% of the population fell below the poverty line [30].

Unlike other affected countries, the lockdown in Nigeria has not only subjected the already vulnerable households to hunger but also created more tensions, violence, and unfortunate killings of people by either hoodlums who are hungry and resort to attacking neighboring households for food [31]. The socio-economic effect of this pandemic has seriously affected families and well-being in general. On the one hand, it has had undesirable physical and psychological consequences that affect society, families, and individuals [9, 32]. On the other hand, studies indicated that the prevalence rates of depression and general anxiety during the COVID-19 period were higher than the rates before the pandemic [2].

2.4 Causes of psychosocial problems among girl children during the COVID-19 pandemic

“School alone cannot meet the basic psychosocial needs of children” [33]. Consequently, students face many circumstances in school and the outcome may lead to psychosocial and health problems rather than for the school to be a source of positive socialization. In this direction, many children in the school experienced an uncaring and unsupportive environment, which can have detrimental consequences on their mental health. The psychosocial aspects of depression are considered with respect to psychological factors (i.e., thinking, personality, and coping style) and social factors (i.e., family, relationships, employment, and life events). Most studies reported negative psychological effects, including post-traumatic stress symptoms, confusion, and anger. Stressors included longer quarantine duration, infection fears, frustration, boredom, inadequate supplies, inadequate information, financial loss, and stigma [9].

However, depression and anxiety levels were higher in households with lower incomes. Furthermore, 55% of parents with a household income of less than £16 k reported feeling “a lot” more anxious compared with 32% of those earning the most [34, 35]. One study found that the rates of mental health symptoms among the Chinese general population during the COVID-19 pandemic were 27.9% for depression and 31.6% for anxiety [36].

2.5 Studies on psychosocial problems in relation to COVID-19

However, economist and social psychologist inferred that COVID-19 pandemic, which is a global disease, has destroyed the already bad socio-economic condition of the Nigerians, to these effects, unfamiliar incidences of psychosocial problems were reported [37]. Besides that, worry about infection, specifically among individuals with health conditions related to increased risk for severe COVID-19 such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension, increased social isolation, disruption of social activities, losses of family members and acquaintances to COVID-19-related mortality, and concern about financial instability due to job losses [37].

The paper reviewed five empirical studies related to psychosocial problems and covid-19 pandemic related terms. Studies revealed that there are evidences which created psychosocial problems among the individuals during covid-19 pandemic. Oginni et al. [37] studied depressive and anxiety symptoms and COVID-19-related factors among men and women in Nigeria. The study investigated psychosocial stressors known to be associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms in relation to COVID-19 among the categories of ‘heterosexual’ and ‘non-heterosexual’ (comprising ‘mostly heterosexual’, ‘bisexual’, ‘mostly gay’, and ‘completely gay’) in Nigeria. The findings revealed that, among the categories of respondents studied, female participants were identified with higher depressive and anxiety symptoms significantly. However, COVID-19-related concerns among females such as intimate partner violence and higher worry about infection were identified as the factors that impacted higher levels of psychosocial stressors among women. Also, the study reported mental health disparities in non-heterosexual men compared with heterosexual men in Nigeria. Similarly, the findings indicate that some psychosocial factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including worry about infection, disruption due to the pandemic, and isolation during the lockdown, are independently associated with higher depressive and anxiety symptoms.

Banstola [38] and Timalsina et al. [39] investigated the causes of psychosocial problems among school going adolescents in Nepal. The study aimed to find out the factors that are more likely to cause psychosocial problem among adolescents. The findings identified five (5) major factors responsible among the adolescents for psychosocial problems in Nepal, which are as follows: adolescents who were facing abuse from their families, adolescents who do not feel good about their home environment, adolescents not stay with their parents, adolescents from low-income and joint families, and adolescents whose mothers are illiterate and have disrupted marital status of parents. The five categories of school-going children were more likely to develop psychosocial problems. Also, the study can be related to the Nigerian situation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lavigne-Cervan et al. [40] studied the consequences of COVID-19 confinement on anxiety, sleep, and executive functions of children and adolescents in Spain. The objectives of the study was to find out whether there consequences of confinement by COVID-19 on anxiety, sleep and executive functioning planning, organization, self-regulation of emotions, flexibility, time management, organization, problem solving, inhibition and containment and motivation of children and adolescents, sex, age, anxiety on the mental health of children and adolescents. The study identified three (3) categories of children of different ages and sexual levels, 9 to 12 age group expresses greater difficulties with anxiety levels while between 13- and 18-year olds express greater sleep disturbances. However, a significant difference between males with intra-sexual executive functioning groups, were also found to have a greater percentage with tendentiously maladjusted problems than their females’ counterparts.

Bano and Iqbal [41] studied the cause of psychosocial and emotional problems and the development of psychopathology among university students in Pakistan. The objectives of the study were to identify the psychosocial problems among university students and factors associated with the development of psychopathology. The result of the study found that psychosocial and emotional problems and psychopathology among university students exist.

3. Education of a girl child in Nigeria

Education is seen as a process through which an individual is admitted into society by being taught what is worthwhile in order that the individual might play her part well in society. Generally, education involves learners or children; a child is someone who is a young individual between birth and adolescence. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child [42] defines a child as “a human being below the age of 18 years unless under the law applicable to the child.” From the social psychological viewpoint, a child is a human being from conception to adolescence. ‘The age at which a person ceases to be a child depends on the culture, purpose, and law of the land [43, 44].” More so, Nmaduet al. [45] cited in Murthi et al. [46], “it is a belief that “female education is a powerful mechanism for controlling both mortality and fertility. Recent empirical studies from various social sciences disciplines proved a strong connection between education and demographic change, which confirms that education improves health and reduces fertility.” For instance, educated women are much more likely to use dependable family planning approaches, delay marriage and childbearing, and have fewer (and healthier) babies than women without education. However, the scholars affirm that “women with a secondary school education tend to have improved knowledge about health care practices, are less likely to become pregnant at a very young age, tend to have fewer, better-spaced pregnancies, and are more likely to seek antenatal care, postnatal care, and skilled attendance at delivery.”

3.1 Causes of poor participation of girl children in education in Nigeria

The following are some of the causes of poor participation of girl children in education in Nigeria:-

• Religious Factor: According to Crosnoe et al. [47] and Alabi and Alabi [36] “influence of religions of world favored male than a female child. In fact, most religious specialists and leaders are males and this makes for an authoritative image in favor of boys, and it would be a cooperative move if religious leaders of all trusts, beliefs, and denominations were to speak out powerfully in support of the female cause.”

• Health Factor: Crosnoe et al. [47] state that the general factors related to illiteracy, culture, religion, poverty, and malnutrition have a general effect on the health of school-age children on girls than boys. Boys may get favored feeding, while girls, who are required to carry out domestic responsibilities, are more likely to be undernourished. Even if they go to school, this unfavorableness affects girls’ achievement and the retention rate.”

• Socio-Cultural Factor: “One major factor that hindered the female take up and follow through of educational opportunities, even when these are available, is a near-universal essential cultural bias in favor of males than females [48].

• Educational Factor: “It is through that, if you educate one girl, you educate the whole world, therefore, according to Kapur [49], educational factors that affect the participation of females in education are difficulties of accessibility, lack of resources, inadequate infrastructure, and shortage of skilled and competent teachers. However, “within rural areas, the main problem is a shortage of teachers. Parents usually feel hesitant in sending their daughters to schools, when there are not any female teachers [49].”

• Economic Factor: “It is believed that good parental economy would boost the education of a girl child. So economic factor is most influential in affecting the participation of girls in education [49]. Finances are imperative areas, especially in higher education. Due to a lack of finances, capable and diligent students are required to give up their aspirations of pursuing higher education. Parents find it difficult to pay for not only the education of their children, but also for making provision of books, stationery, uniforms, clothing, and other materials. Lynn [50] states “The girl child deserved better”. Girls are discriminated against in Nigeria in access to educational opportunities, food, and nutrition. Girls carry a heavy burden of farm work and housework. Girls are married off at an early age, which interferes with their education or acquisition of skills needed for survival.”

• Geographical Factor: Some of the barriers to girl child education in underdeveloped countries according to Brock and Cammish [45] are interconnected with incompleteness of institutional provision (even at lower and middle primary level), which relates directly to difficulties of physical access and adversely affect girls more than boys; there is an overall and profound urban and rural dichotomy that favors towns and cities, especially in respect of secondary school (and especially single sex) provision for girls; patterns of transportation and migration affect the educational provision and take up, again normally disadvantaging females and in some cases, extreme physical difficulties, such as flooding and other hazards act in the same way.

• Political/Administrative Factor: Amin [48] cited in Alabi and Alabi [36] are of the opinion that “some countries’ educational policies exist in most cases for such developments as universal primary education, equal educational opportunities in terms of gender, and the eradication of gender bias from texts and other materials, the political will to carry these through seems to be weak in the face of severe economic constraint.”

3.2 Challenges of girl child education in Nigeria

Akhigbe and Koleoso [51] put Nigeria with the highest rate of out-of-school children among the other countries in the year 2013, with less than 50% of girls in schools. Particularly the girls from the northeast region of Nigeria. The Global Coalition to protect education from attack [52] stated that, though attacks have involved the abduction of both school boys and girls, there has been a higher reported number of abduction of school-aged girls and women.” In the same vein, GCPEA report indicated that some of the challenges of girl child education in the area include family socioeconomic status and the high rates of poverty, many parents could not afford to send their children to school because of the costs of education, including school fees, uniforms, and textbooks. Furthermore, some parents were resistant to sending their children to formal schools long before the emergence of Boko Haram the Global Coalition to protect education from attack [53].

Also, on the challenges of girl child education “The Global Coalition to protect education from attack [53] quoted Hauwa M., a 16-year-old student of Federal Government College Buni Yadi, Yobe state who witness Boko Haram attack in their respective school in 2014, “After the attack, I went home. I was too afraid and decided not to go back. I told my parents I would never go back to school. They were also too afraid....Before [the attack], I was so passionate to study and achieve my dream [of being a lawyer]. But now, this experience completely demoralized me....I told my father that I will never go back because of Boko Haram threats and what I saw that night. I cannot go back to face the same thing again.”

Table 1 explains the incidences of girl child kidnapped from their school:-.

S/N	Year	Name Schools	No of Students Abducted	States
1.	2014	Government Girls Secondary School Chibok.	276	Borno State
2.	2016	Government Vocational School, Rijau.	2	Niger State
3.	2016	State Model College, Igbonla.	4	Lagos State
4.	2018	Government Girls’ Science and Technical College Dapchi.	110	Yobe State
5.	2018	Maiduguri Capital School.	2	Borno State
6.	2019	Engravers College, Kakau Daji.	6	Kaduna State
7.	2020	Good Shepherd Major Seminary, Kakau.	4	Kaduna State
8.	2020	Prince Academy Secondary School, Damba-Kasaya.	4	Kaduna State
9.	2020	Government Science Secondary School Kankara.	344	Katsina State
10.	2020	Dandume Islamiyya School.	80	Katsina State
11.	2020	Government Science College Kagara.	42	Niger State
12.	2020	Government Girls Secondary School Jangebe.	279	Zamfara State
13.	2021	Federal College of Forestry Mechanization Afaka.	39	Kaduna State
Total		12	1115

Table 1.

Incidents of kidnapping and abduction of school children from school in Nigeria between 2014 and 2021.

Source: Adamu Mumini et al. 2022 [54].

3.3 Categories of girl children with psychosocial problems in Nigeria

800,000 persons are reported missing every year, about 2000 missing persons a day [51, 55, 56]. Around 5% of these are under the age of 18. Approximately 400,000 refugee survivors of torture currently live in the United States, a significant portion of which are children [57]. Usually a kidnapped child, after release, often suffer trauma; victims are faced with a whole lot of challenges [58].

3.4 Evidence of girl children with psychosocial problems in Nigeria

Psychosocial refers to the importance attached in connection between psychological aspects of the human experience and the wider social experience. Therefore, “Kapur [49] discusses how psychological problems are an integral part of an individual’s life. Individuals usually experience psychological problems in one’s work, maintaining relationships, health problems, and when they feel overwhelmed due to certain factors, such as, workload, unable to obtain adequate sleep, nutrition, and so forth.” However, according to Kapur [49], “When psychological problems, experienced by individuals, are affecting them to a major extent, then it is vital for them to seek solutions. It is good to not that, depression, stress, anxiety, and psychosocial problems are the various psychological problems experienced by individuals’ students.” Similarly, Omigbodun [59] studied psychosocial issues in children and adolescent psychiatric clinic populations in Nigeria. The study aimed at finding out whether psychosocial stressors and life events existed among 127 children’s with psychosocial stressors over the 3 years, and the result of the study revealed that 79 (62.2%) of the 127 new referrals to the clinic had significant psychosocial stressors in the year preceding presentation. However, most of the empirical studies on psychosocial issues in children and adolescents in Nigeria revealed that “the most common psychosocial problems among children and adolescents in Nigeria were problems associated with school adjustment, interpersonal relationships and medical therapy, and perceived depression (Famuyiwa, O O, Matti O O).” Furthermore, study by Omigbodun [59] discovered some of the causes of psychosocial stressors among the children who were referred to psychiatric clinic over the period of 3-year, which are divided into two: the first one are problems associated with lack of primary support, to include: separation from parents to live with relatives, disruption of the family, abandonment by mother, psychiatric illness in a parent, and sexual or physical abuse, occurred in 50 (39.4%) of the subjects. The second causes are problems associated with social environmental factors that occurred in 11 subjects (8.7%), 39 (30.7%) had educational problems, 5 (3.9%) had economic problems, and 15 (11.8%) of the children had “other” psychosocial stressors. More significantly, it is an evidence that more children and adolescents have disruptive behavior disorders and disorders like enuresis, separation anxiety and suicidal behavior, and psychosocial stressors when compared with children with psychotic conditions such as autistic disorder and epilepsy (chi(2) = 9.6; p = 0.048). More importantly, the study further recommended the importance of the psychosocial diagnostic dimension in routine schedules.

3.5 Girl child education and COVID-19 pandemic

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria poses a great challenge to the education system in the country’s already fragile education system. Obiakor and Adeniran [60] discuss controversial issues of school closure in a very critical moment, and it can have spillover effects on a large number of students in receiving schools. Thus, the consequences of school closure can affect the quality of teaching and learning and academic achievement, particularly for students with special needs or those with learning difficulties that often require more physical attention and guidance from the teachers. Therefore, before the pandemic, there was an estimated total of 10.2 million out-of-school children in Nigeria. About 1.6 billion learners in 190 countries across the world were affected by the pandemic, with 94% of the world’s school population impacted by school closures (United Nations Policy Brief, The Education Partnership Nigeria (TEP) [61, 62]). The closure of schools has affected 36,400,000 primary and secondary school learners across Nigeria, including those in internally displaced camps.

3.6 How psychosocial problems affects girl child education

Psychosocial disorders disrupt the normal functioning of the affected child and the family. Children may lose interest in play and school activities, and relationships with family and friends are usually impaired. The Dakar Framework for Action goal (b) stipulated that all girls child, in difficult circumstances, such as those with Psychological problems or it related terms should have access to complete at least primary education of good quality [63]. Kapur [49] agreed that, psychological problems are an integral part of an individual’s life, usually individuals developed and experience psychological problems in one’s work, upholding interactions, environmental and health related problems and when individual’s feel overwhelmed due to certain factors, such as, workload, inability to obtain adequate sleep, inadequate food and nutrition among others. Child health professionals (CHPs) identified the existence of psychosocial problems among school-aged children, particularly a girls child. One out of ten (20%) adolescents encounter at least one behavioral problem internationally [64]. Half of lifetime mental disorders begin before the age of 14 years, and 75% begin by the age of 24 years [64]. There is a need for early detection of these problems at home and in school especially in preschool [63, 65, 66]. As individuals develop, they usually experience psychological problems in one way or the other, be it in the workplace or in maintaining relationships with loved ones, health problems, and when they feel overwhelmed due to certain factors, such as, workload, unable to obtain adequate sleep, and nutrition [49]. Reijneveld et al. [67] reported the result of study conducted by American Child Health Professionals (CHPs) in Dutch Preventive Child Health Care; confirm that, one or more psychosocial problems were identified in 25% of all children. However, the study further revealed that, 1 in 5 of the identified children with psychosocial problems was referred for further identification and treatment.

4. Psychosocial educational

4.1 What is psychosocial educational?

Psychosocial is a term used to refer to the active association between psychological aspects of one experiences (including, our feelings, emotions, and behaviors) and our wider social experience (that is, our relationships, family and community networks, social values, and cultural practices), where one influences [68]. Psychosocial education is a terminology of knowledge used to provide to individuals and families to promote awareness regarding unhealthy relationships and maladaptive behaviors. As individuals become aware of such dynamics in their relationships, they can understand the impact and work toward change.

4.2 Types of psychosocial problems among girl children

The following are the types of psychosocial problems among girl children [69].

4.2.1 Growing up armed groups

Child stealing, kidnapping for rape or sexual assault by militant groups exists in Nigeria [70]. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children states about 800,000 persons are reported missing every year and about 2000 missing persons a day [55]. Around 5% of these are under age 18. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Nigeria [69] put it that, “Nigeria has vulnerable children who have experienced abduction or forced conscription by non-state armed groups.” UNICEF [69] further states that, “children reported having spent crucial periods of their childhood in captivity, in small, hot, enclosed, overcrowded spaces, leading to extreme distress endured over a long duration of time.”

4.2.2 The continuance of stressors after release

UNISEF [69] identified five factors related to stressors after release among the girl child: Separation from family and loss of caregivers, stigma and isolation, prevalence of sexual violence, challenges with attending school and loss of dignity, and child labor.

4.2.3 Prevalence of sexual violence

Sexual violence means whichever sexual action, and in other words an effort, to attain to acquire sexual act by forcefulness or intimidation. The most vulnerable type of psychosocial problems among Girl Children according to United Nations Children’s Fund [69] is sexual violence; the girl child sexual violence is prevalent at the camps and was reported by every girl interviewed for the assessment. Sexual exploitation by volunteers during food and nonfood item distribution was frequently reported during the assessment. The report of the United Nations Children’s Fund [69] further cited that, “almost every girl shared that she had been followed by a stranger at the camp more than once. When probed for unsafe spaces, the girls shared that toilet and shower areas were unsafe as there was only a thin metal sheet dividing the male and female showers, with the clothes hung at the same place.”

4.2.4 Challenges to attending school

Boko Haram crisis has extensively expanded the severity of all challenges against formal education in the region, especially the girl child (See 3.2) [53].

4.2.5 Loss of dignity and child labor

“The volunteers and workers take advantage of girls, seeking sexual favors in exchange for food. If you refuse, they twist it around against your family. And because our parents do not work, we are dependent on aid [69].”

4.2.6 Child marriage

In northern Nigeria, religion and culture influenced parents to marry their children at the exact age of marriage, of 13 to 14 years for girls and 16 to 17 years for boys. Girls were reportedly at higher risk of child marriage and had little choice-making capacity. Often, adolescent girls were married to middle-aged men as one of the multiple wives [69].

4.2.7 Deteriorating interpersonal and family relationships

It was observed that interpersonal relationships were poor and reportedly getting worse among families [69].

One girl child who has experienced this in her interpersonal family narrated that, “my mother remarried and has another husband and a new baby. if the baby is crying, she asks me to comfort him. But then she insults me if the baby continues to cry. The mother says “it is because you are not related by blood; you do not have the same father’. And the girl children further add that “I have run away from home before [69].” This is evidence an adolescent girl describing poor family relationships in north-east Nigeria.

4.3 Effectiveness of psychosocial support on girl child with psychosocial problems

According to the International Network for Education in Emergencies [68], “Psychosocial support is a process of facilitating resilience within individuals, families and communities.” Also, according to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Africa [71], Canadian Association for Refugee and Forced Migration Studies (CARFMS) [72], United Nations Children’s Fund [69], and Save the Children Nigeria [73], psychosocial support refers to a scale of care and support that influence both the individual and the social environment in which people live and ranges from care and support offered by caregivers, family members, friends, neighbors, teachers, health workers, and community members on a daily basis, and also extends to care and support offered by specialized psychologist and social services.”

Psychosocial support offered to individuals, their partners and families to remedy their psychosocial problems can assist people in making informed decisions, coping better with illness, and dealing more effectively with discrimination. It improves the quality of the lives of the affected people [74].

4.4 Strategies curb with girl child with psychosocial problems

The World Health Organization [74] developed the following Strategies as a measure to curb psychosocial problems:

• Psychosocial support should be exactly to include in the health policy of all nations as guidelines for the management of psychosocial problems.

• Health institutions should incorporate training support of psychosocial care for all health care trainees and providers into their curriculum.

• All nations should develop guidelines for home care services to include the provision of basic psychosocial care by community volunteers and family caregivers.

• It is vital that training courses for community volunteers should be organized and provided by health care workers.

• Compulsory training in professional disciplines such as counseling, psychology, and psychiatry can be made available at the international level.

• Basic strategies for providing psychosocial support should be developed for specific groups, especially women, youth, men who have sex with men, injecting drug users, and health care providers.

4.5 How to use social studies education to address the challenges of psychosocial problems among girl children

Social study is a program of instructions or studies that a society uses to instill in learners the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values, and actions that it considers important concerning the relationships that human beings have with each other [75]. One of the primary aims of teaching Social Studies Education in Nigeria is to inculcate the right type of attitude that is desirable for pupils. To do this effectively, Social Studies teachers, at all levels of education in Nigeria, (nursery, primary, secondary or tertiary), must be conversant and knowledgeable with national values. And this can be derived from the national objectives, some of which are as follows: A free and democratic society; a united, strong, and self-reliant nation; a just and egalitarian society; a great and dynamic economy; and a land of bright and full opportunities for all citizens [76]. Social studies gives students the opportunity to inquire, investigate, discover, discuss, experiment, and acquire experiences to make decisions on social issues and problems, and find solutions to them [17].

5. Conclusion

The Dakar Framework for Action goal (b) stipulated that all girls child, in difficult circumstances, such as those with Psychological problems or it related terms should have access to complete at least primary education of good quality. Psychological problems are an essential part of an individual’s life. Child health professionals (CHPs) identified that psychosocial problems exist among school-aged children, particularly girl children. One out of ten (20%) adolescents encounter at least one behavioral problem internationally. Therefore, the World Health Organization [74] recommended that “Psychosocial support should be made specifically to include in nations guidelines for the management of psychosocial problem, also compulsory training on the provision of psychosocial support should be incorporated into the curriculum for all health institutions and the health care providers, and guidelines for home care services should be developed to include the provision of basic psychosocial care by community volunteers and family caregivers.”