Zamfara State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, through the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), has graduated 1,868 girls and young women from an Alternative and Mass Education programme in the state.
Speaking during the presentation of certificates to the graduates in Gusau, AGILE project coordinator in the state, Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdu Gusau, said the occasion was about more than certificates, describing it as a celebration of the power of opportunity.
‘It gives me pleasure to welcome you all to this memorable occasion, the graduation and certification of the first cohort of 2,250 adolescent girls and young women under the AGILE Alternative Education Subcomponent 2.2C in the state,’ she said.
‘The results are encouraging. Of the 2,250 learners enrolled, 1,868 have completed the programme and are graduating today.
‘In addition, 1,186 have transitioned to post-literacy programmes, 682 have been mainstreamed into formal schools, 367 are repeating the learning cycle, while 15 have dropped out. These are not merely statistics; they represent renewed opportunities and new pathways for girls and young women.
‘In the 14 local government areas, the first cohort completed a 10-month programme covering foundational literacy and numeracy, life skills, digital literacy, and vocational and livelihood skills in market-driven trades.
‘As we celebrate this milestone, we must also look ahead. We call for continued partnership and collaboration to sustain, strengthen and scale up Alternative Education in the state.’
Also, the Executive Secretary of the Zamfara Mass Education Board, Zuwaira Abdu Gusau, revealed that an additional 80 vocational centres had been mapped for similar interventions, bringing the planned coverage to 100 centres.
‘These 80 vocational centres that were mapped will also be equipped with learning and livelihood resources to target 19,500 beneficiaries in the state,’ she said.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abdulmalik Garba Gajam, represented by the permanent secretary, Hajiya Maryam Shantali, lauded the efforts of Governor Dauda Lawal for his commitment to the education sector.
She also commended the Mass Education Board and the AGILE Project Implementation Unit for their unwavering commitment to the successful implementation of the programme in the state.