SOKOTO (Sundiata Post) – No fewer than 2,400 School Based Management Committee (SBMC) members would be trained on School Improvement Plan (SIP) under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, (AGILE) Project in Sokoto State.
The Project Coordinator, Mr Mansur Isa-Buhari, disclosed this at the first level training of SBMC focal persons on Monday in Sokoto.
Isa-Buhari said SBMC members were from the 448 AGILE project participating schools across the state.
He said the training featured SBMC roles, responsibilities and support to SIP in thier respective schools, while the participants were expected to step down the training to their members.
According to him, AGILE, which is being implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education with support from the World Bank, is designed to improve basic and post-basic education opportunities for adolescent girls.
”Children in Nigeria, especially girls face challenges that prevent 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.
He added that AGILE project consist of three main components, including; Creating Safe and Accessible Learning Spaces, Fostering an Enabling Environment for Girls, Project Management and System Strengthening.
Earlier, Alhaji Tukur Alkali, the Commissioner, Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, reiterated the state government’s commitment to ensuring proper implementation of the programme.
Alkali, who was represented by Alhaji Idris, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, explained that the state government had paid its counterpart funds to ensure smooth commencement.
He said the social mobilisation unit had engaged religious groups on spreading understanding of the programme to facilitate more acceptance and enrollment.
The commissioner expressed optimism that the infrastructural development and other educational support under the project would facilitate more students enrollment, retention and completion at all levels.
Also speaking, the Project Consultant, Mr Ruya Fadason, said the training was to strengthen SBMC members’ responsibilities, funds management and how to run school renovation and construction.
Fadason said AGILE project had improved school enrollment especially for adolescent girls with the provision of scholarships, instructional materials and infrastructure in schools. (NAN)