Girl-child Education: Kwara Pays N150m AGILE Counterpart Funding

The Kwara State government has constituted a steering committee for the implementation of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE).

AGILE is a federal government/World Bank-supported programme to improve girl-child’s access to quality secondary school education.

LEADERSHIP reports that the setting up of the steering committee was another step following the state government’s fulfilment of all criteria that qualified it for the programme, including payment of a commitment fund of N150m.

The committee comprises Commissioner of the Ministry of Education (chairperson); commissioner for Finance; commissioner for Health; commissioner for Women Affairs; commissioner for Social Development; commissioner for Youth Development; commissioner for Environment; commissioner for Communications, and permanent secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development.

Others are the executive chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board; executive chairman of the State Teaching Service Commission; executive director, Agency for Mass Education; chairman, State School Based Management Committee; Coordinator, Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All, and state project coordinator (Secretary).

A statement signed by the chief press secretary to the state governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, on Wednesday, said the committee is to meet quarterly to review the implementation of the state’s sub-projects and forward its analysis and conclusions to the National Project Coordinating Unit; approve annual work programmes; budget and procurement plans; ensure that performance targets are met; track performance using key performance indicators for the programme; ensure effective communication and access to information; monitor feedback and grievances; and monitor project implementation outcome achievement.

It said that the counterpart fund was to help the state kickstart the AGILE programme, which will involve substantial investments in secondary school infrastructure, hygiene facilities, reduction in dropout rates among girls, and better school outcomes for them.