Minister reaffirms commitment to strengthening girls’ education during AGILE road walk

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed, has reiterated the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to enhancing support for girls’ education and empowerment in Nigeria.

Ahmed made the remarks in Abuja on Thursday during a road walk for the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Employment (AGILE) programme.

The walk, known as “Madubi,” aims to raise public awareness and promote action on girls’ education in the country. Madubi is a Hausa term meaning “mirror,” symbolizing the reflection of societal progress through the empowerment of girls.

Speaking at the event, the Minister highlighted the importance of educating girls as a driver of national development, emphasizing that more support would be provided to initiatives such as AGILE to ensure sustainable empowerment for the girl-child.

“We support every program that seeks to empower the girl-child,” she stated. “At the Federal Ministry of Education, we have our own program that we are going to launch soon to ensure that we empower the girl-child. But AGILE is wonderful in terms of giving opportunities to the girl-child by providing access and support for her to flourish in our society.”

She continued, “The road walk is for the girl to see herself in us as a mirror for a better future. We hope to see more programs that will ensure every girl has the opportunity to reach her full potential.”

Also addressing the gathering, Mrs. Amina Haruna, the AGILE National Project Coordinator, explained that the initiative was created to ensure no girl is left behind in education and to reduce the number of out-of-school children.

Haruna stressed that educating girls leads to societal transformation, and the “Madubi” slogan reflects the girl’s role as a mirror of the community’s progress.

Haruna shared key achievements of the AGILE initiative, which has been implemented in 18 states across the country.

She highlighted the construction of 475 new schools, the renovation of approximately 10,000 classrooms, and the provision of WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities and learning materials to schools.

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“We have been working to bring schools closer to the girls,” Haruna explained. “We don’t want them to walk long distances. According to our education policy, no child, including a girl, should have to walk more than five kilometres to access school.”

Looking ahead, Haruna revealed plans for 2025, including the construction of additional classrooms, expansion of WASH facilities, and the provision of more scholarships to support the poorest households.

Addressing challenges related to social norms and community resistance to girls’ education, Haruna mentioned that AGILE is partnering with the Sultan Foundation to ensure community buy-in and overcome any obstacles to the project’s success.

The road walk, designed to symbolize the importance of empowering girls, is part of the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government and AGILE to improve secondary education for girls and foster a more inclusive future for Nigeria’s youth.