FG reveals plan to reduce female out-of-school children

In a significant effort to address the issue of female out-of-school children in Nigeria, the Federal Government has joined forces with the World Bank under the ‘Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment’ to launch a nationwide campaign.

The campaign aims to advocate for increased access, retention, and completion of secondary education for adolescent girls in Nigeria.

According to a statement released on Thursday, the campaign, named ‘Madubi’ (meaning Mirror in Hausa), is a crucial component of the AGILE project, which is currently being implemented in several states across the country, including Borno, Ekiti, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, and Plateau.

The AGILE project, inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 16, 2023, has a primary objective to reduce the gender gap in secondary education completion rates and facilitate the transition of adolescent girls between the ages of 10 and 20 into the labor market. The project is expected to benefit a total of 21.5 million direct and indirect beneficiaries.

During a media engagement session in Abuja on Thursday, Amina Buba Haruna, the National Project Coordinator of the AGILE project, addressed critical stakeholders and journalists. Haruna explained that the AGILE project aims to eliminate the barriers to education faced by girls in targeted areas. By prioritizing investment in girls’ secondary education, the project provides an opportunity to address other challenges, such as poverty, child marriage, maternal and child mortality, and gender-based violence.

The launch of this national campaign highlights the commitment of the Federal Government and its partners to create an enabling environment that promotes education for girls and empowers them to overcome social and economic barriers. It is hoped that through concerted efforts, the campaign will contribute to reducing the number of out-of-school girls and creating a more inclusive and equitable society for all.