The Bauchi State government has committed N150 million to the World Bank Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project in the state.

Jamila Dahiru, the project coordinator in the state, disclosed this to journalists on Friday in Bauchi.

She said the government’s commitment is a demonstration and commitment to girl-child education and empowerment in the state.

“The AGILE Project is a World Bank-assisted initiative of the federal government aimed at improving secondary education and empowerment opportunities for adolescent girls in the state.

“The initiative is one of the first far-reaching and comprehensive multi-sectoral interventions to empower girls to access and complete secondary school education,” Ms Dahiru said.

Represented by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Education, Sule Madara, the project coordinator said adolescent girls and vulnerable families across the 20 local government areas of the state would benefit from the project.

According to her, through the AGILE programme, the government aims to address the multiple constraints that girls face through various multi-sectoral interventions.

“They include the construction and rehabilitation of schools, improved safety conditions in and around schools, communication campaigns to shift social norms, safe spaces to deliver life skills, health and nutrition information.

“Others are reproductive and menstrual hygiene, delivery of digital skills training, cash transfers to incentivise households to send girls to school, and other measures to strengthen education systems,’’ she said.

Ms Dahiru noted that adolescent girls face many constraints in accessing and completing secondary education.

(NAN)