- UBEC Gives Dropout Girls, Young Mothers Second Chance With Agboju School
- Says No Child Should Lose Education Opportunity Due to Difficult Circumstances
- Rehabilitates Alternative School for Girls
The Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, has stressed that no Nigerian child should be denied access to quality education because of difficult circumstances, as it commissioned the rehabilitated Alternative High School for Girls in Agboju, Lagos State.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, said the intervention was designed to give girls and young women whose education had been interrupted another opportunity to return to learning, acquire skills and rebuild their future.
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Garba spoke during the formal commissioning of the rehabilitated school, according to a statement issued by her on Saturday.
She said the initiative was particularly important for girls who had dropped out of school because of pregnancy, early marriage, family responsibilities, poverty, displacement or other circumstances that made it difficult for them to continue with conventional education.
“A girl whose circumstances prevented her from completing her education should be given another opportunity. Every child deserves an alternative pathway to acquire the education they deserve to succeed in life,” Garba said.
The UBEC boss urged Nigerians to stop viewing girls who dropped out of school as “lost causes”, stressing that young mothers seeking to return to education should not be made to believe that their opportunities had passed.
According to her, the Alternative High School for Girls was established to provide such girls and young women with opportunities to resume education, acquire useful skills and pursue productive lives.
“Let this not simply be a place where girls attend classes. Let it be a place where hope is restored, confidence is built and the future is renewed,” she said.
Garba said the rehabilitation covered school infrastructure, academic facilities, furniture, information and communication technology equipment, laboratory and vocational equipment, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, as well as environmental improvements.
She said UBEC had formally handed over the rehabilitated facility to the Lagos State Government and urged the state to maintain the infrastructure and ensure that the school continues to serve its intended beneficiaries.
The Executive Secretary disclosed that the second Alternative High School for Girls in Ikorodu was at an advanced stage of completion and would further expand opportunities for girls and young women seeking alternative routes back into education.
She also announced that UBEC would provide the Agboju school with a bus and digital smart boards before the end of 2026.
Garba, however, stressed that the success of the project should not be judged by the appearance of the renovated school alone but by the impact it makes on the lives of its students.
“The true measure of our success will be the girl who walks through these gates and discovers that she still has a future. It will be the girl who acquires a skill, finds employment, starts a business or becomes a leader in her community. That is why this investment matters,” she said.
She said the intervention was consistent with the Federal Government’s efforts under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative to expand access, improve learning outcomes and ensure that vulnerable and out-of-school children are not left behind.
Garba also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising education and human capital development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
She praised the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her commitment to the education and empowerment of girls and young women. The First Lady was represented at the event by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima.
The UBEC boss urged residents of Agboju to take ownership of the school by protecting the facilities and supporting the girls enrolled in the institution.
