By Awwal Umar Kontagora The Niger State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, in collaboration with the Adolescent Girls ...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
The Niger State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, in collaboration with the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), has joined the rest of the world to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child in Minna.
The event brought together students, teachers, education officials, and development partners to celebrate the potential of girls and advocate for sustained investment in their education and empowerment.
In her welcome address, the State Coordinator of AGILE, Hajiya Maimuna Tahir, reaffirmed the project’s commitment to promoting equal access to quality education for girls across Niger State. She emphasised that empowering girls through education remains key to achieving gender balance and sustainable development.
“Niger State has supported our girls tremendously. What they showcased today is proof that the AGILE program is making an impact, especially through the life skills sessions. Our girls are now more confident — they can speak up, take the stage, and express themselves. Unlike before, when they were shy and left behind, we now see great improvement,” she said.
“Enrollment has also increased, particularly through our Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program, which we started early last year. Many girls have returned to school, and the second phase of disbursement has already begun. The essence of AGILE is to bring back out-of-school girls, and we are witnessing that change. In fact, our classrooms are now filled beyond capacity, which is why we are planning more classroom construction to accommodate the growing number of girls returning to school,” she added.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Aisha T. Nur-Yaro, commended AGILE’s efforts in supporting the state’s education agenda. She urged parents and communities to continue encouraging girls to pursue their dreams without fear or limitation.
“The present administration has introduced several measures, such as the Safe School Program, to ensure that all girls are safe and remain in school,” she noted.
Other speakers at the event called for stronger community involvement, continuous awareness campaigns, and effective policy implementation to protect the rights of the girl child and enhance her participation in all sectors of society.
The event also featured the presentation of awards and gifts to outstanding students as a way to inspire excellence and reward commitment to learning.
The celebration concluded with a renewed call for collective responsibility in promoting the rights, education, and empowerment of every girl child in Niger State.
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