The World Bank has stated its commitment to the development agenda of enhancing educational opportunities for Girls and Women in Nigeria
Country Director,Mr Shubam Chaudrhuri said this at the official inauguration of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment ( AGILE,) project in Kaduna.
Represented by Aisha Garba, World Bank’s Senior Education Specialist, the bank commended the Kaduna State Government for taking ownership of its (AGILE) project.
Chaudhuri, also praised Gov. Nasir El-Rufai for the support to ensure the success of the project in the state.
He described the project as a “huge success” in Kaduna State, saying that supporting women and girls in Nigeria was top on the agenda of the World Bank.
The World Bank Director said AGILE is one of the biggest projects in the bank with a $1.2 billion fund .
“This is to demonstrate the commitment of the bank to the development agenda of enhancing educational opportunities and empowerment of young girls and women in Nigeria.
“We appreciate the full cooperation and partnership of stakeholders, and we will continue to support the government of Kaduna state in achieving this important agenda.”
In her address, the National Project Coordinator, Hajiya Amina Haruna, revealed that the AGILE project was the initiative of the Federal Government with funding support from the World Bank.
According to her,the project aimed to ensure adolescent girls access quality secondary education, through enhanced learning, digital literacy and life skills which guarantee better life .
Haruna said that funding of the project,began in February 2022, in Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Ekiti, Borno and Plateau states explaining that the project would be extended to other states .
The project coordinator urged the relevant stakeholders to support the implementation of the project for the beneficiaries to reap the full benefits of the project.
Gov. El-Rufai who inaugurated the project said that the talents of girls were being wasted as a result of lack of education and exposure to early marriages.
The governor said the reason for his inclusion of women in his cabinet was to inspire young girls to aspire for whatever they want to be.
El – Rufai’s deputy is a woman while his government has also appointed women as commissioners and heads of departments and agencies .
The governor explained that the AGILE project was specifically designed to encourage and promote girl child education, describing it as one of the most successful World Bank financing projects in the state.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Halima Lawal, disclosed that the project has currently reduced gender disparity in secondary schools.
The commissioner who spoke through the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Haliru Soba, said that the project had equally reduced the distance to the nearest secondary school to less than a kilometre adding that, enrolment of girls in secondary school had significantly equally improved
Under the project,779 classrooms were renovated in the state. while 2,629 Water Sanitation and Hygiene facilities were constructed and rehabilitated in schools. Others are, provision of 46,252 sets of furniture and fencing of five schools in the state.
Similarly, renovation of Government Girls Secondary School Kawo, and Barewa College Zaria, is ongoing, while 155 new secondary schools will be built.
“The project is establishing safe spaces across 142 schools with girls being trained in leadership, self-agency, nutrition, menstrual hygiene, safeguarding against gender-based violence, reproductive health and climate change and action.
“Also, a total of 6,250 students are currently participating in the project’s digital literacy programme while 35,575 girls have received scholarships.
“AGILE project is also supporting 550 secondary schools with information and communication technology infrastructure and devices for the delivery of digital literacy,” the report indicated.
In her remarks, the Project Coordinator in the state, Hajiya Maryam Dangaji, said the successes recorded so far were due to teamwork, stakeholders’ collaboration, and the overwhelming support from the Governor El – Rufai government.
