AGILE project trains 2,400 on schools improvement plans in Sokoto 

By Suleiman Adamu, Sokoto

A socio-education project driven organisation , the Adolescence Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment(AGILE) says it has concluded arrangements for the training of 2,400 SBMC members on Schools Improvement Plan (SIP) in Sokoto state.

The training is designed to feature SBMC roles, responsibilities and support to SIP across AGILE participating schools.

However, AGILE project consists of three main components which include Creating Safe and Accessible Learning Spaces, Fostering an Enabling Environment for Girls, Project Management and System Strengthening.

No fewer than 448 AGILE project participating schools are involved disclosed Tuesday in Sokoto by the Project Coordinator, Mr Mansur Buhari at the first level of training SBMC focal persons.

According to Buhari,’ the project seeks to tackle the challenges and improve education opportunities in 18 participating states, to make education more appealing to adolescent girls, parents, and communities, ”

He said the training features SBMC roles, responsibilities and support to SIP in thier respective schools while the participants are expected to step down the training to their members.

He said AGILE is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education with support from the World Bank, designed to improve basic and post-basic education opportunities for adolescent girls.

” Children in Nigeria, especially girls are being faced with challenges preventing them from accessing and completing secondary education due to socio-cultural, financial constraints, and infrastructural deficits.

” The project seeks to tackle the challenges and improve education opportunities in 18 participating states, to make education more appealing to adolescent girls, parents, and communities, ” he said.

Speaking during the training session, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Alhaji Idris Musa, who represented the commissioner, reiterated the state government commitment to ensuring counterpart funding for proper implementation and smooth commencement of the programme.

This, he said ” we have embarked on social mobilisation by engaging religious groups to facilitate and I fulencr acceptance and enrolment for the programme. Infrastructural provisions and other support facilities have been considered to ensure the success of the initiative”, he explained.

Similarly, the Project Consultant, Mr Ruya Fadason said the training was to strengthen SBMC members responsibilities, funds management and how to run schools renovation and constructions.

The Consultant noted that AGILE project had significantly improved pupils enrollment especially adolescent girls with the provision of scholarships, instructional materials and infrastructure in the schools.