Bridging the Leadership Gap: Why Girls Need Public Speaking and Leadership Training in Secondary School

An Article by Blessing Olarewaju, 2025 EPLF Fellow

I still remember the day I was appointed Head Girl in my secondary school in Ilorin. I was thrilled, but also terrified. I hardly spoke in front of the crowd, yet suddenly, I had to lead assemblies, represent the school, and speak with confidence I didn’t yet have. No one had trained me — I simply had to figure it out. That experience changed my life, but it also opened my eyes to a deeper issue: too many girls are expected to lead without ever being taught how.

Across Nigeria and much of Africa, we tell our daughters to be quiet, humble, and obedient — but not necessarily to be bold, vocal, or assertive. We raise girls who are brilliant, thoughtful, and full of potential, yet many of them shrink when handed a microphone or asked to lead. Why? Because no one ever taught them they could — or should.

The leadership gap we see in politics, boardrooms, and national conversations doesn’t begin when women become adults. It begins much earlier , in the classroom, where girls often lack opportunities to develop their voices, build confidence, and take initiative. If we’re serious about raising the next generation of women leaders, we need to start by equipping girls with the tools of leadership early and one of the most powerful tools is public speaking.

Public speaking isn’t just about standing on a stage. It’s about learning to express ideas, advocate for change, and influence others — all key traits of effective leadership. When girls are trained to speak with clarity and courage, they are more likely to step into leadership roles, challenge harmful norms, and build a future where their voices are heard.

This is one of the reasons I launched She Speaks, She Leads – a grassroots initiative that provides public speaking and leadership training to young women and girls in underserved communities. At our sessions, I’ve watched shy women and teenagers transform into confident speakers after just a few days of guided practice, encouragement, and exposure to female mentors who look like them. It’s proof that confidence isn’t something you’re born with , it can be taught.

This is why we must act now! We need more schools to incorporate leadership and public speaking into their curriculum, not as an extracurricular afterthought, but as a core part of learning. Teachers, parents, policymakers, and community leaders must be intentional about creating safe spaces where girls can practice leading and speaking from an early age. If we want confident women in our parliaments and boardrooms tomorrow, we must start by training girls in our classrooms today.

It’s time we stop waiting until women are in their 30s or 40s to teach them how to lead. Let’s start in secondary schools. Let’s raise a generation of girls who not only dream of change — but can stand up, speak out, and lead it.

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About the Author:

Blessing Olarewaju is a social impact leader, entrepreneur, and convener of She Speaks, She Leads — an initiative training women and girls across Kwara State in public speaking and leadership. She is passionate about raising bold female voices and building future-ready women leaders from the grassroots up.

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