…Constitutes Project Implementation Unit to Improve Girls’ Secondary Education
Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has approved the release of N150m seed money being part of the State Government’s commitment to take part in the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, AGILE Project under the Additional Financing phase (AF).
In the same vein, the governor has constituted the State Project Implementation Unit with a seasoned academic, Dr. Amina Haruna Abdul as the Project Coordinator and other professionals from the line Ministries in line with the Bank’s procedures for the smooth implementation of the project in the state.
The Project which was the initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria, is supported by the World Bank to address issues of Adolescent Girls in public schools.
It earlier started with seven pilot states of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, kebbi, Ekiti, Plateau and Borno States.
On the expression of interest by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for Gombe to benefit from the project, the World Bank graciously approved the participation of the state alongside 11 additional ones bringing the total to 18 states in the country.
Part of the strategies to address issues of adolescent girls in the benefiting States were three components which include creating safe and accessible learning space, fostering an enabling environment for girls , empowering adolescent girls with life skills for a better future and the project management and strengthening.
These components and other subcomponents are indeed in tandem with the policies and programs of Governor Inuwa Yahaya led administration in the education sector which since inception gave priority attention to the system from the basic to the tertiary levels and his passion for a better life for the girl child.
The AGILE Project which is a 5year project is expected to complement the state Government’s efforts in the areas of infrastructure development in schools,increased enrollments, retention and completion of secondary school by the girl child.
It will also give opportunity to out of school adolescent girls to have a second chance to obtain secondary education. The project will provide girls scholarship and conditional cash transfer to the poorest students, communities and households in the state in pursuance of its mission.
Successful implementation of the project will no doubt improve and address significantly issues revolving around adolescent girls and out of school youth in the state.
