The federal government is boosting World Bank’s $500 million funding for Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project with $700 million.

The Nigerian government boost raises the tally to $1.2 billion.

Communications Officer of AGILE, Linda Irabor, stated in Abuja on Sunday that the boost would enhance efforts at improving senior secondary education and empowerment opportunities for adolescent girls.

She stated that 11 state governments had indicated an interest in participating in the AGILE project, a World Bank-assisted federal government project.

She noted that the new funding level made the project one of the biggest World Bank-sponsored, gender-focused projects in West Africa.

Ms Irabor also quoted the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to have expressed delight at the additional funding of the project.

She also quoted Mr Adamu as saying that the funding was motivated by the successes recorded in the current implementing states, especially in utilising the School Improvement Grants and Conditional Cash Transfer Scholarships.

At an earlier outing, the AGILE task team lead, Aisha Garba, presented an overview of the project and enlightened states on the participation requirements.

Ms Irabor stated that Ms Garba emphasised the need for interested states to evolve more enabling policies for senior secondary education in their territories.

In her presentation, the national project coordinator of AGILE, Amina Haruna, also urged the states to put all the necessary measures in place to meet the criteria to participate and benefit from the AGILE project.

Ms Haruna said it would also serve as an opportunity for the states to improve the lives of adolescent girls in their localities.

The Yobe Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Muhammad Idris, bemoaned the lack of adequate advocacy on girl child education in the northern parts of the country.

(NAN)