CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 THE BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The attitude of the people towards women education has received on outright progress in recent time unlike in the past when it was believed that women education ends in the kitchen or in their husband home. Many have accepted the saying that if you educate a man, you educate an individual, but educate a woman, you have educate a whole family. This highlights the importance of women education. Education is meant to provide and equip an individual with the desired knowledge; skills and training that can help the beneficiary attain self-reliance in decision making and to perform effectively in every task.

The role of women in the development of any nation state or town cannot be overemphasized. This is an attempt to re-emphasis and reawaken the mind of humanity on the importance of women education undisputable vehicle for sustainable development in the Nation at large, starting from the home.It is commonly seen that women are the first teachers of the children-at home. If a mother is educated, they play important role in shaping and molding their sons and daughters.This project is aimed at investigating the role of education in women empowerment which has implication for economic development in Gombe Local Government Area.

Empowering women can effectively be achieved through education by designing and implementing well-planned and organized educational programme. This is becauseeducational attainment is in no doubt the most fundamental pre-requisite for empoweringwomen in all spheres of life. Without education they will not be able to access well paid formal sector jobs, participate in government and gain political influence even perform better in homes.Despite the fact that education plays a vital role in the human life, socio cultural practices are still strong in the state that Gombe is number among the state with the highest female school dropout and those who get married before the age of 18 years majority of these dropout never return back to school to complete education, learn a trade or acquire vocational skill that will economically empower or make them self-reliant.