Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has launched a renewed effort to bring girls, who left school, back into classrooms, with a focus on teenage mothers and those affected by poverty.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, announced this on Saturday during the inauguration of the rehabilitated Alternative High School for Girls in Agboju, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
Garba said the school represents a “second-chance” for girls whose education was cut short by early pregnancy, financial hardship and other socio-economic challenges.
“A girl who drops out of school should not be regarded as a lost cause. A young mother who wants to return to school should not be told that her time has passed,” she said in a statement signed by Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Education.
According to her, the institution will allow students to complete their secondary education while also learning vocational skills to prepare them for careers and self-reliance, adding that no girl’s circumstances should become a permanent barrier to learning.
Speaking on behalf of the First Lady, wife of Vice-President Kassim Shettima, Nana Shettima, said educating girls is critical to national development and urged the students not to let past experiences define their future and to maximize both academic and vocational opportunities at the school.
Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the inauguration as the start of “a fresh chapter” for the beneficiaries.
She said the renovation had restored dignity to the school and would create wider opportunities for young women, adding that educating a girl benefits not just the individual, but also families, communities and the nation.
The rehabilitated school now has two blocks with over 26 classrooms, plus laboratories for Agriculture, Physics and Biology.
It also includes vocational workshops for cosmetology, garment-making, hairdressing, catering and home economics, as well as a library and ICT centre.
Garba disclosed that UBEC is also rehabilitating another Alternative High School for Girls in Ikorodu to expand access to alternative education in Lagos.
She said the commission will continue working with state governments and stakeholders to grow alternative education programmes, improve learning environments and strengthen skills acquisition for girls and young women across Nigeria.
With upgraded academic, ICT and vocational facilities, the project is expected to provide a clear pathway for girls and young women who cannot continue in the conventional school system to return to learning and build sustainable livelihoods.