FG reaffirms commitment to education of girls

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to expanding access to quality education for girls, pledging to strengthen interventions aimed at removing barriers to school attendance, improving learner retention and empowering them to contribute to national development.

Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, stated this, in Abuja, at an event organised under the initiative, Flow with Confidence 2.0: Keeping Every Girl in School, to commemorate the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.

Alausa said investing in the education, welfare and empowerment of girls was essential to building a prosperous nation, stressing that every Nigerian child must be given the opportunity to learn, develop their potential and contribute meaningfully to society.

He commended President Bola Tinubu, for prioritising the Nigerian child under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that access to quality education and the necessary support would prepare children to become future leaders, teachers, manufacturers and responsible citizens.

The minister described girls’ education as an investment in Nigeria’s future, emphasising the need to eliminate obstacles that prevent them from attending school, participating fully in learning and achieving their aspirations.

In her remarks, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, said the Flow with Confidence 2.0 initiative was designed to protect girls’ dignity, promote menstrual health and hygiene, and sustain their participation in education through the provision of sanitary towels and essential learning materials.

She recalled that the Renewed Hope Initiative launched the maiden edition of the programme on October 2, 2025, providing a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls in rural communities.

The First Lady called for transparency and accountability in the implementation of the initiative to ensure that the materials reached the intended beneficiaries.

She also urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents and other community stakeholders to address the stigma surrounding menstruation and create supportive environments that would enable girls to remain in school, pursue their dreams and realise their full potential.

Senator Tinubu further highlighted the Universal Basic Education Commission(UBEC)’s planned scholarship intervention under its Learners Retention Support Programme, which initially targets 100,000 learners for grants of N20,000 each.

Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, described the initiative as an important intervention to safeguard girls’ dignity and promote menstrual health and hygiene.

She stressed that menstruation should not prevent girls from attending school, participating in classroom activities or achieving academic success.

Ahmad encouraged girls to remain focused on their education, work hard and believe in their abilities, assuring them that their aspirations and future were important to the nation.

Similarly, Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to expanding access to quality basic education and improving school retention through infrastructure development, the provision of learning materials, teacher capacity building, and improved water and sanitation facilities.

She disclosed that the commission had supported the construction of more than 4,000 classrooms in less than three years and provided back-to-school materials to over three million pupils in the past year.

Garba added that collaboration with relevant agencies had also facilitated the return of 700,000 out-of-school children to the classroom.

Reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment, Alausa said the Ministry of Education would continue to support initiatives under the Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at expanding educational opportunities, promoting learner retention and ensuring that every Nigerian child had access to quality education.

ALSO READ: 2027: I won’t abandon governance for campaigns — Tinubu

He stressed that sustained collaboration among government institutions, families, communities and development partners was essential to eliminating barriers to learning and improving educational outcomes.

The minister assured that particular attention would be given to girls facing challenges that limit their access to education, adding that every child deserved the opportunity to learn, grow and contribute to Nigeria’s development.