Bauchi govt releases N150m for implementation of AGILE project

Bauchi State Government has so far released the sum of N150 million as counterpart funding for the implementation of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project, a World Bank-funded project in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education.

The disclosure was made by the State Commissioner of Education, Dr Muhammad Lawal Rimin-Zanya, while declaring open a one-day advocacy sensitisation meeting on the Girls Scholarship Programme (GSP) with stakeholders and community at the state, zonal and LGA levels, held at the Government Girls College (GGC), Bauchi, on Monday.

The commissioner stressed that the government is committed to ensuring that the girl-child receives the best educational attention to bridge the gap and reduce the number of out-of-school children in the state.

He also stated that the present administration under the leadership of the Governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has made education as the topmost of its priorities because it is the bedrock of any development.

Rimin-Zanyan then assured that the government will ensure that everything required for the success of the programme is done so that its objective will be met.

Speaking earlier, Bauchi AGILE Project Coordinator, Ladi Hamma Muhammad, stated that the meeting was organised to give an update on the implementation of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) of the project for better understanding of the participants.

She assured that the AGILE project has good objectives of ensuring that the girl-child gets the best attention for education while supporting her to develop and grow.

The project coordinator added that the preliminary stages of the implementation is gradually coming to end, leading to the full implementation, assuring that the positive impact will be felt by all.

Muhammad then commended Governor Mohammed, for ensuring the prompt release of the counterpart funding, which has enabled the project to take off.

She also said that the periodic advocacy for sensitisation on financial incentives under the AGILE project will provide the participants with the opportunity to understand the workings of the process.

In her goodwill message, an official of the AGILE National Office, Grace Jackson stressed the importance of the CCT component of AGILE, which has bolstered schools’ enrollment of the girl-child.

She stated that the component, which is just a suppor,t has gone a long way in encouraging the parents to send their girls to school without fear of money to take care of them.

Grace Jackson commended the Bauchi State AGILE Project Coordinator for a good job, urging for full take off of the project in the state, reminding her that the project will terminate in 2028.

She assured that though the AGILE project has the Girl-child as its focus, the boy will not be exempted, considering that education is for all.

There were goodwill messages from representatives of relevant agencies led by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

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