Kwara first lady flags off project to support girl child education 

Kwara State First Lady, Olufolake AbdulRazaq, on Tuesday officially flagged off virtually the implementation of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment project in the state, marking a major push to support girls’ education and reduce dropout rates through targeted interventions.

Speaking during the virtual launch held at the Kwara State Banquet Hall, Ilorin, the First Lady described the initiative as a deliberate and strategic effort to give adolescent girls across the state a fair chance at quality education, empowerment and lifelong opportunities.

She said the project’s Conditional Cash Transfer component, which targets 22,420 schoolgirls, would ease the economic burden on families and promote school retention.

“The CCT is aimed at reducing the financial pressure on parents and ensuring that girls remain in school,” she said, commending Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s sustained investment in education and girl-child development.

Under the scheme, each beneficiary will receive N40,000 annually, paid in N10,000 instalments per term, a measure the government believes will significantly reduce dropout cases linked to financial hardship.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development and Chairman, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, said the state government remains committed to creating a safe and enabling environment for learning.

“Over N1 billion had been expended on school construction, renovation and upgrades, alongside improved learning materials and ongoing teacher training.

The AGILE Project is a compassionate intervention. The CCT is not just financial support; it is an investment in the dreams of every girl child,” he said.

Olohungbebe added that the state’s merit-driven teacher recruitment process is helping to sustain effective and modern teaching across public schools.

Earlier, the State Project Coordinator, Adeshina Salami, said AGILE, implemented between 2023 and 2028, is designed to expand access to quality secondary education and empower adolescent girls socially, emotionally and economically.

He said no fewer than 898 junior and senior secondary schools would benefit from renovation works, including improved WASH facilities, while out-of-school girls would access literacy, life skills and vocational training.

“We are building systems that will outlive this administration. All components follow strict procurement and financial management processes that align with global standards,” he said.

Salami also praised Governor AbdulRazaq for being the first among participating states to pay the N150 million counterpart fund, which he said strengthened Kwara’s position as a leading AGILE-implementing state.

The AGILE project focuses on key areas including safe learning spaces, behavioural change, digital literacy, second-chance education, environmental sustainability, and community accountability.

The initiative aims to break socio-economic barriers hindering girls’ access to education while ensuring that vulnerable adolescents complete their schooling and acquire essential life skills.