Mary Emmanuel
Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) in collaboration with the Kano State Ministry of Education joined the world to commemorate the International Day of Girl Child in Kano.
AGILE is a World Bank project that seeks to improve secondary education opportunities among girls in targeted areas in participating states by creating Safe and Accessible Learning Spaces, Fostering an enabling environment for girls, Empowering girls with critical life skills and knowledge for navigating adulthood and digital literacy skills, and providing financial incentives to the poorest households.
The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘Our time is now-our rights, our future.’
Speaking at the event which was held at Rumfa Collage, Kano, Tuesday, the Special Adviser to the governor of Kano State on free and compulsory education, Dr. Kabiru Shehu said Kano state Government has lowered her qualifying examination sponsorship criteria to 7 credits instead of 9 credits and has paid over 199 million Naira for more girl child to be enrolled in the 2022 NECO examination.
He further stated that the aim is to enroll more girl child in schools including dropouts.
“The government has made provision for the girl child in the budget across other state ministries to ensure the girl child’s rights are protected,” he added.
On her part, the Coordinator of the Girl Child Education Unit at the State Ministry of Education Kano, Amina Kassim said the ministry has been advocating and sensitizing the girl child in the state to know their rights and also have a voice through quality education.
Also speaking at the event, the representative of the Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA), Aisha Haruna Mahdi said her organization is out to protect, and preserve the rights of the girl child and also help fight for the vulnerable girl child who is exposed to Gender Base Violence in the state.
The Coordinator, AGILE, Ado Tafida Zango urged the girl child to strive in education and also vocational training, such as skill acquisition in other to avoid being vulnerable.
