- Agency Report
The First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has joined hundreds of children to mark the year 2025 Children’s Day celebration, as she also launched the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project.
The first lady, who hosted children from different states in the State House Banquet Hall on Tuesday, described the children as the “heartbeat of the nation”.
“I am pleased to learn that the AGILE project is significantly contributing to reducing the burden of Out-of-School Children in our communities by increasing secondary school enrolment among adolescent girls in Nigeria.
“It is on the strength of the impact of the project that it is now being extended to 14 new states through Additional Financing, bringing the total AGILE benefitting states to 21 nationwide,”.
Tinubu however, congratulated the new states for being part of the laudable initiative.
The first lady also applauded the significant roles the current administration played to elevate the education standard of children in the country.
“The success of AGILE also reaffirms the commitment of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, under the Renewed Hope Agenda to focus on education as an essential pillar of development by providing unhindered access to quality education for every Nigerian child.
“I commend the Minister of Education, Dr Olatunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed and the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr Aisha Garba and their team for this laudable programme.
“I applaud your collaboration with the World Bank and development partners in securing a future where education is accessible, inclusive and impactful for the girl child as I formally launch the AGILE Additional Financing Project and the AGILE Games Award Ceremony.”
The First Lady also congratulated all the students across the nation who participated in the AGILE games and won.
She also promised to give each of the winners N50, 000 each in addition to the award they received saying “every child represented here today has demonstrated what is possible when opportunity meets support.
“Whether through entrepreneurship, environmental innovation, storytelling, or sport, you all have shown us that the good seeds planted are already bearing fruit.
“As we honour all the outstanding participants across the various categories, I seize this opportunity to say to every child here: whether or not you receive an award today, you are all champions. Your efforts, innovation, and courage are worthy of celebration,” she said.
Alausa, in his remarks, reiterated that the administration of President Tinubu was keen to ensure that the potential of the Nigerian children was met with the purpose.
The minister said that all promises made during their election campaign for the future were backed by compelling policy reforms.
“Within 11-months, we have moved from plans to action: we have launched school improvement programmes in all 36 states, backed by ₦2.035 billion in new investments for School-Based Management Committees and over N20 billion in Teacher Professional Development.
“Through the N800 billion HOPE-EDU Basic Education Reform Programme, we are delivering results-based funding that strengthens access, equity, and measurable learning outcomes and we have built and renovated more than 3,000 schools and classrooms.”
Alausa assured Nigerians that the current administration would strive to educate every child, wherever they come from and build a nation not only of roads and railways, but of well-educated people.
Ahmed, in her remarks, said the AGILE event was a duo programme that showcased empowerment of girls through education and celebration of talents, creativity, and excellence of Nigerian children.
“The additional financing we launch today is a testament to the project’s impact and a bold step toward deepening its reach and sustainability.
“It will enable us to reach more states, empower more girls, and expand the innovative interventions that have already begun to reshape learning outcomes and social inclusion for adolescent girls across the country.
“Our mission is not just to get children into school, but to ensure they learn, grow, and thrive in safe, inclusive, and stimulating environments.
“The AGILE project and initiatives like the Children’s Games are powerful tools for achieving that goal,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AGILE project sponsored by the World Bank, Nigeria (WBN) was launched for the expansion of the programme in more states of the federation.
The project according to the WBN would benefit all learners including renovation and building of 25,000 classrooms in government secondary schools, 8,400 toilets and free education sponsorship of out-of-school children including those with disabilities.
However, the Country Director, World Bank, Nigeria, Mr Taimur Samad said the organisation believed in standard education for all.
“It is an honour for us to be a partner in the contest of AGILE, and many other programmes that promotes education.
“AGILE is a single programme in education in the world to thrive, it is our responsibility and the advocacy lies on us.
“The AGILE programme will continue today with 50 million children and an additional 25 million teachers and parents for free quality education,’’ Samad said. NAN