Nasarawa State government through the World Bank-assisted Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Programme, has flagged off the Girls Scholarship Programme (GSP), Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT).
The initiative will enable indigent girls in secondary schools to access N40, 000 as scholarship to meet their daily needs while in their study areas.
The programme was kicked off by the first lady, Hajiya Salifat Abdullahi Sule, in Lafia.
The commissioner for Education, Mr. John Mamman, who gave insight into the initiative, said the disbursement comprises of N15,000 registration and N25,000 transition fees respectfully.
He said although the programme targets the first cohort of 16,439 beneficiaries in public secondary schools as approved, the ongoing disbursement will take care of 10,539 cleared beneficiaries.
He explained that the remaining 5,900 will be paid as soon as data officers currently on field conclude the capturing of beneficiaries, spanning across seven local government areas which include Wamba, Kokona, Nasarawa, Lafia, Doma, Keana and Awe who were selected based on the State Operations Coordinating Unit (SOCU) poverty rankings.
“Each beneficiary will receive a total of ₦40,000.00. At the same time, data collectors are currently enrolling Primary 6 pupils and JSS 3 students in 11 LGAs, with the goal of reaching 35,000 beneficiaries in the second cohort.
“Our aim is to include all eligible students across the state in a third cohort, ensuring the project’s impact is maximized and that as few as possible are left out,” he explained.
Speaking at the occasion, the first lady, Hajiya Salifat Abdullahi Sule, who was represented by the wife of the deputy governor, Mrs. Sheila Tosan Akabe said the initiative will enhance learning among the girls.
The AGILE project, he said, was in line with the federal government’s commitment to promote gender equality and girls’ empowerment by introducing a number of initiatives aimed at taking pragmatic actions towards ensuring massive enrollment of the female gender in secondary schools.
She urged the beneficiaries to justify the gesture by taking their studies seriously and come out top in their respective classes.
On her part, the coordinator of AGILE, Hajjya Aishatu Aliyu-Isoga, said the initiative was part of the measures aimed at improving school environment among girls in the state.
She explained that the CCT initiative will ease the financial challenges that often prevent girls from enrolling, staying, and excelling in school.
“It is a practical strategy for breaking barriers and giving our daughters the chance to realize their full potential,” she noted.
