Sokoto pledges support for girls learning initiative – Punch Newspapers
The Sokoto State Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the successful implementation of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment program in the state.
The state Commissioner for Basic Education, Mohammed Alkali, made this known on Tuesday while addressing participants at a two-day sensitisation workshop for Zonal Quality Assurance officers, organised by AGILE.
The workshop aimed to train School-Based Management Committees in all junior and senior secondary schools across the state.
Alkali, represented by the Executive Secretary of the Female Education Board, Prof. Mustapha Tukur, emphasised the state’s dedication to the program’s success.
He highlighted that Governor Ahmed Aliyu had promptly ensured the release of the state’s counterpart funding for the AGILE project and promised that the government would remain open to supporting the initiative.
“AGILE has begun, and we can already see the progress indicators. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
“Several officers have been trained, and their impact is already being felt in schools, particularly in local communities,” Alkali said.
He further noted that the current training of SBMC members was aimed at empowering them to oversee the various projects being implemented under AGILE.
He praised the program for democratising education governance by involving communities in school management.
“The SBMC members are essentially the representatives of the government and the program, tasked with ensuring that the projects are effectively delivered. This training will equip them with the necessary skills to work diligently toward the program’s success,” he added.
The commissioner urged SBMC members to manage the allocated funds judiciously, warning that anyone found misappropriating the resources would face the full weight of the law.
Earlier, the state project coordinator, Dr. Mansur Buhari, explained that the training was designed to help SBMC members understand their roles in the program and their responsibilities in ensuring its success.
He noted that community involvement is central to AGILE’s goal of improving school infrastructure.
“This project is community-focused. Every step we take is done in collaboration with the SBMC, as they are the custodians of the schools. The quality assurance officers will work with the SBMCs to ensure that renovations and constructions are carried out according to plan and within budget,” Buhari said.
He emphasised that the training was crucial for ensuring the sustainability of the improvements made to schools.
Project engineer Zayyanu Alkanchi, in his remarks, outlined the two phases of the program.
He explained that the first phase includes equipping schools with facilities such as boreholes, solar lights, and toilets to encourage higher enrolment.
Alkanchi revealed that 240 schools have been selected for this year’s project, with plans to include more schools in 2025.
