The Gombe State Government has unveiled a new scholarship initiative targeting 12,100 economically disadvantaged girls across its 11 LGAs, in an effort to tackle the growing challenge of out-of-school children in the state.
The scheme, launched under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) — a World Bank-assisted programme — is designed to support girls at the most vulnerable stages of their education journey.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony on Friday, the State Coordinator of AGILE, Dr. Amina Haruna Abdul, said the programme specifically targets pupils in Primary 6 and JSS 3, stages where many girls typically drop out of school due to financial hardship or social barriers.
She explained that each beneficiary would receive ₦60,000 to aid their transition into junior and senior secondary schools, covering costs such as registration, uniforms, and learning materials.
“Additionally, they will receive ₦10,000 each term to support their studies,” Dr. Abdul said, adding that beneficiaries were selected using a community-based poverty ranking system to ensure transparency and fairness.
According to her, the initiative aims not only to improve school enrolment and retention rates among girls but also to promote their long-term empowerment through education.
Representing Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya, the state’s Deputy Governor, Manassah Jatau, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to eradicating the problem of out-of-school children.
He said the government was determined to ensure that every girl in Gombe had access to quality education and opportunities for personal development.
“This scholarship programme will help our girls to not only enrol in school but stay and complete their education. We are determined to break the cycle of poverty through education,” he said.
Mr. Jatau urged parents and guardians to support the initiative by encouraging their daughters to remain in school.
Despite various interventions, Gombe continues to grapple with high rates of out-of-school girls, many of whom engage in farm labour, locally known as barema, during the rainy season to support their families.
The AGILE project, according to officials, is part of a broader effort to close the gender gap in education and ensure that more girls in Northern Nigeria have the opportunity to learn and thrive.
