The Yobe State Government has unveiled plans to significantly boost girls' education in the state. Through the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), the government aims to construct 50 new secondary schools and rehabilitate 225 existing ones. This initiative is designed to improve girls' access to education and help them complete secondary education. The project also seeks to equip girls with skills that will enhance their livelihoods and economic independence.
The Project Coordinator of AGILE in Yobe State, Abdullahi Dahiru Bulah, revealed these plans during the onboarding of local government facilitators and mobilisers. These facilitators and mobilisers will be responsible for community awareness and behavioural change across the 17 local government areas in the state. According to Bulah, AGILE has three major components: providing safe and quality education, creating an enabling environment for girls to remain in school, and strengthening the education system.
Under the AGILE project, 104 schools are currently being rehabilitated through small and medium grants. Preparations are also underway for the rehabilitation of another 121 schools under the large-grant component. In addition to school rehabilitation, AGILE has procured 875 desktop computers for 35 secondary schools. Each school received 25 computers, along with solar power and internet facilities. Teacher training programs have also been implemented to support the digital skills program.
The AGILE project is not limited to school infrastructure and computer donations. The initiative has also established 20 non-formal learning centres, with plans to establish another 100 centres. These centres will provide literacy, numeracy, and livelihood skills to girls who missed formal education. Furthermore, AGILE is providing conditional cash transfers to girls transitioning from primary to junior secondary and from junior to senior secondary schools.
The conditional cash transfers aim to help beneficiaries meet educational needs such as uniforms and school bags. The payments are linked to at least 70 per cent school attendance, ensuring that the girls remain in school. This approach is expected to increase girls' enrolment and retention rates in secondary education. The CEO of Spotlight for Transparency and Accountability Initiative (STAI), Mu’azu Alhaji Modu, has expressed his organisation's commitment to supporting the AGILE project.
STAI has been engaged to lead social and behavioural change communication across Yobe State. The initiative will target social norms and cultural practices that hinder girls from accessing 12 years of education. Seven facilitators and seven mobilisers have been deployed in seven LGAs for the pilot phase, with plans to expand to all 17 LGAs in the fourth quarter of 2026. This social and behavioural change communication component is crucial to the success of the AGILE project.
The Yobe State Government's efforts to boost girls' education have been commended by stakeholders. The AGILE project is expected to have a positive impact on girls' education in the state, increasing their access to quality education and empowering them with skills for economic independence. With the implementation of this project, Yobe State is poised to make significant progress in improving girls' education.
Key points
- The Yobe State Government plans to construct 50 new secondary schools and rehabilitate 225 existing ones to improve girls' access to education.
- The AGILE project has three major components: providing safe and quality education, creating an enabling environment for girls to remain in school, and strengthening the education system.
- The project includes conditional cash transfers to girls transitioning from primary to junior secondary and from junior to senior secondary schools, linked to at least 70 per cent school attendance.
