By Desire Uzochukwu
The Enugu State Government has launched an education intervention in 217 public secondary schools to tackle school dropout, improve enrolment and retention, and provide safer learning environments, particularly for adolescent girls.
The initiative, implemented under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project in partnership with the World Bank and Federal Government, will support school rehabilitation, improved sanitation, access to learning materials and measures to address social and cultural barriers to education.
Speaking at a media roundtable, Enugu State Project Coordinator of AGILE, Dr. Ebele Georgina Onuora, said the project was designed to address the underlying factors forcing children out of school and encourage them to return to the classroom.
“The project’s overarching goal is to address the systemic barriers that cause children to drop out of school, thereby facilitating their return, sustained retention and eventual empowerment,” she said.
Onuora explained that although adolescent girls were the primary focus, boys and other members of the school community would also benefit from improved infrastructure and learning resources.
She said the first phase, under Component 1.2 of the project, covers the rehabilitation of 217 public secondary schools selected through a needs-based assessment and environmental screening process.
The interventions include the renovation of school buildings, provision of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, solar-powered boreholes, toilets, textbooks and other essential learning materials.
According to her, improving sanitation is particularly important for adolescent girls, as inadequate menstrual hygiene facilities can contribute to absenteeism and irregular school attendance.
The project will also provide small, medium and large grants to participating schools, with the categories determined by student enrolment.
Beyond infrastructure, Onuora said AGILE would tackle social and cultural barriers to education through community engagement, sensitisation and partnerships aimed at encouraging parents and communities to support school attendance and retention.
The initiative also incorporates grievance redress mechanisms, Gender-Based Violence clubs and Safe School clubs to strengthen student protection and promote safer learning environments.
Other components of the broader programme include digital literacy training, conditional cash transfers, alternative education pathways and campaigns to promote girls’ education and the inclusion of children with special needs.
Project officials at the roundtable commended Governor Peter Mbah for supporting the initiative, describing the state’s participation as an opportunity to strengthen education delivery and expand access to quality learning.
The project is expected to improve school facilities, support the retention of students and contribute to sustainable human capital development in Enugu State.
