Governor Ahmed Aliyu has flagged off the Adolescent Girl’s Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) programme in Sokoto State.
The governor also disbursed N200,000 imprest to 330 school principals, amounting to N66 million.
He also inaugurated the disbursement of improvement grants to 240 schools in the state.
Governor Aliyu described the AGILE Project as a critical component of the broader agenda to improve educational outcomes in the state.
He said his administration would focus on empowering adolescent girls through enhanced access to education, life skills training, and financial support.
According to him, the project would address some of the most pressing challenges facing the society, with a view to bolster educational development of the state.
Governor Aliyu further said that the disbursement of the school improvement grants to the 240 secondary schools was designed to improve the learning environment for the students.
He added that the funds would be used to rehabilitate schools’ infrastructure and provide ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)’ facilities and other essential learning materials.
It would also ensure that schools across the state are safe and conducive for effective teaching and learning.
The governor charged the principals and Schools’-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) of the benefiting schools, to utilize the funds transparently and judiciously.
However, he warned that “every Naira should be accounted for, and every project must meet the highest standard of quality as required.”
Gov. Aliyu said, ” The people of Sokoto State are watching, and we must not betray their trust and confidence in us.
” I would like to remind you that we have recently inaugurated project monitoring and verification committees.
“They have been given the mandate to watch over all our projects and programmes to ensure value for money.
“We have challenged them never to compromise for quality work. The quality of our project must be of global standard.”
While commending the teachers for their dedication and sacrifice, Governor Aliyu restated that his administration is committed to supporting them through capacity-building programmes, improved welfare, and the provision of modern teaching tools.
According to him, this is in order to enhance their knowledge and performance through routine training and retraining.
The governor said, “To our young girls, I want you to know that you are the reason we are here today.
” Your education is not only your right but also your pathway to a brighter future.
” We are doing this for you because we believe in your potential to achieve greatness.”
Gov. Aliyu further added that his administration had re-introduced the School Feeding Programme, covering 23 boarding schools, with a population of 17,367 students.
He disclosed that the programme is gulping a whopping N680,786,400.00 annually.
Gov. Aliyu said, “We have also procured and distributed sporting facilities in all our public schools across the state.
*We have also ensured the payment of external examination fees for final year students irrespective of their state, tribal or religious differences.”
According to him, the state government had constructed 147 classrooms and renovated 142 others, provided 208 VIP toilets, school fencing, and boreholes.
This is in order to provide a conducive environment for teaching and learning to take place and to change the hitherto negative narratives about the education sector in the state.
This, the governor said, was in addition to the recent employment of 2,000 teachers who were deployed to teach at Secondary and Nomadic Schools across the state.
He further said that the state government had recently awarded contracts for the total renovation and remodelling of some primary and secondary schools in the state.
He said, “They include Command Military Schools located in Giginya Barracks and Shagari Local Government, Government Science Secondary School Yabo, Nagarta College, and Sultan Abubakar College Sokoto.
“Others are Government Girls Secondary School Bodinga, GGSS Illela, Sheik Abubakar Gummi Memorial College, Hafsatu Ahmadu Bello Secondary School, Ahmadu Bello Academy, Sani Dingyadi Unity Secondary School and Sokoto Teachers College, among others.
He further disclosed that Marafa Dan Baba and Tudun Wada Model Primary Schools, among others, had since been renovated.
In his goodwill message, minister of state for works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo commended Governor Aliyu for the various transformations taking place in the state.
According to him, the state government is paying sufficient attention to areas such as security, social welfare, education, health care,religious affairs, infrastructure, and youth empowerment.
Also speaking, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof.Ladan Ala, commended the governor for meeting his obligations by releasing the state’s counterpart funds.
This, the Commissioner said, had helped greatly in ensuring that the AGILE programme became a reality in the state.
He charged parents and guardians in the state to take advantage of the programme by enrolling their wards into schools.
In his remarks, the Sokoto State Coordinator of AGILE, Dr Mansur Isa Buhari, commended the governor for giving the programme the attention I deserves.
He called on parents and guardians in the state, especially in rural areas, to ensure that their children attend classes regularly and promptly, appealing that the government’s huge investment into the programme must be protected.
