The Kogi State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing girl-child education through strategic collaboration with the Federal Government and the World Bank under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE).
The Kogi State AGILE Project Coordinator, Tijjani Oricha, stated this while declaring open a training programme for facilitators of alternative education for out-of-school girls drawn from the state’s three senatorial districts.
He explained that the training forms part of ongoing efforts to expand access to education for vulnerable girls, particularly those who dropped out of school due to socio-economic challenges.
Speaking on behalf of the Project Coordinator, the Component Lead for the Second Chance Education Programme, Hajiya Maryam Bello, said the training was designed to equip facilitators who will deliver alternative learning programmes to out-of-school girls across Kogi East, Central and West.
She urged participants to approach their roles with dedication, stressing that the success of the programme and the future of the beneficiaries depend largely on their commitment.
Hajiya Bello noted that many of the girls exited the formal school system due to financial hardship and other socio-economic factors. She explained that the AGILE programme aims to either reintegrate them into formal education or provide them with vocational and life skills to improve their livelihoods.
She also called for sustained collaboration among the Federal Government, Kogi State Government and Local Governments to ensure the success of the World Bank–supported initiative.
In her remarks, the Area Officer for the Okene Local Government Area, Hajiya Ajibawi Khadijat, commended the Kogi State Government for its strong support and inclusive development approach.
She described the programme as a major turning point in addressing challenges that had previously undermined adult mass literacy initiatives.
She recalled that earlier programmes were hindered by poor incentives, noting that many adult learners required modest stipends to attend classes regularly. According to her, the renewed intervention by the Federal Government, with strong backing from the Kogi State Government and the World Bank, has restored hope for out-of-school girls and school dropouts across the state.
Hajiya Khadijat further explained that many of the beneficiaries are street hawkers who, due to poverty and limited awareness, are exposed to risks such as unwanted pregnancies, forced marriages and economic vulnerability.
She stressed that the provision of non-formal education under the AGILE programme would empower them with knowledge, life skills and financial discipline, giving them a second chance at success.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Participation Initiative for Behavioral Change in Development, Rachel Remilekun Akande, said the training brought together facilitators from Kogi East, Central and West Senatorial Districts as part of a statewide exercise.
She noted that the Kogi AGILE project is focused on ensuring that no girl is left behind by providing alternative education pathways for out-of-school girls.
She advised facilitators to see themselves not only as instructors but also as mentors and caregivers, urging them to demonstrate patience and compassion in guiding the girls toward personal growth and positive societal contribution.
