FIRST LADY OLUREMI SEEKS SECOND-CHANCE EDUCATION FOR OUT-OF-SCHOOL GIRLS, COMMISSIONS RENOVATED LAGOS ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL

By ‘Sefiu Ajape 

• Tasks Lagos Govt To Establish Alternative Girls’ School In Lagos Central

• Ikorodu Facility Nears Completion — UBEC

The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has called for sustained efforts to give girls who have been forced out of formal education another opportunity to learn, acquire skills and fulfil their potential.

Tinubu made the call on Friday while speaking at the commissioning of the rehabilitated Alternative High School for Girls in Agboju, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos, where she stressed the need to remove the barriers that prevent girls from completing their education.

Represented at the ceremony by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, the First Lady expressed satisfaction with the transformation of the school through the intervention of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

She said the rehabilitation and equipping of the institution represented a continuation of the vision behind its establishment, stressing that circumstances such as early pregnancy and socio-economic difficulties should not permanently determine a girl’s future.

“I believe then, as I still believe today, that no girl or woman should be denied the chance to reach their full potential because of life’s challenges.

“I am therefore happy that the school has been renovated and equipped through the integration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and I commend both the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Aishat Garba, and her team for renovating the school and improving its learning environment.

“I also applaud the commission’s efforts in the establishment of several special high schools for girls across the country, including the one under construction in another senatorial district of the state.”

Tinubu said the expansion of alternative education facilities remained important to ensuring that more girls affected by disrupted schooling could return to education and develop skills for self-reliance.

She disclosed that the broader plan is to establish at least one alternative high school for girls in each of Lagos State’s three senatorial districts, noting that Lagos West and Lagos East are already accommodated.

“I therefore urge the Lagos State government to complete the plan by establishing an additional school in Lagos Central while ensuring the smooth operation and proper maintenance of all the schools so that more girls can complete their education,” the First Lady added.

She also charged the students to remain determined, disciplined and hardworking, urging them to make full use of the opportunity provided by the institution.

“You should know that you can achieve your dreams and become positive contributors to our nation’s development once you are determined,” she stressed.

Tinubu commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, for their commitment to advancing education for boys and girls in Lagos State.

The commissioning brought together government officials, education stakeholders, school administrators, teachers and students to mark the completion of the rehabilitation project.

Also Speaking, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented at the event by his wife and First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, underscored the importance of the institution as a platform for teenage mothers and women seeking a second chance to complete their secondary education and acquire vocational skills.

Sanwo-Olu said the renovated facility aligns with his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S.+ Agenda and supports the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Initiative aimed at reducing the population of out-of-school girls across Nigeria.

Reflecting on the impact of the institution, the governor noted that many of its alumnae have gone on to become successful professionals, entrepreneurs and mothers.

“That is the true measure of this school—lives redeemed, futures rewritten,” Sanwo-Olu said. “We are profoundly grateful that, as First Lady of the Federal Republic, you did not leave this vision behind. Through the Renewed Hope Initiative, you have taken the Alternative High School for Girls to the six geopolitical zones of our country, and you have now returned to breathe new life into the school where it all began.

“This rehabilitation is a powerful statement that the first seed planted in Lagos almost two decades ago remains precious to you, and Lagosians thank you most sincerely.”

The governor pledged that the state government would go beyond maintaining the facility to actively sustain its core mission.

“We will ensure that this school remains a sanctuary of second chances, and that its model continues to inspire our broader efforts to reach every out-of-school child in our State,” he stressed.

He also encouraged the students to remain committed to their education and use their opportunities to make a difference in society.

“Always remember that this school exists because people believe in your future, and so do I. So, study hard, dream boldly, and go on to lift others as you have been lifted.”

Earlier in his welcome address, the Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, expressed delight over the institution’s contribution to girl-child education.

Alli-Balogun described the facility as a hub of hope, empowerment and quality education, saying its purpose aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope agenda.

He said the school provides a safe and inclusive environment designed to address the barriers that force girls out of conventional education.

According to him, young women who left conventional schools because of teenage pregnancy, financial hardship or domestic challenges can use the institution to resume their academic journeys while acquiring vocational skills for self-reliance.

On her part, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr. Aishat Garba, commended Tinubu for her longstanding support for vulnerable young people and her commitment to education and mentorship.

“Your support has gone beyond just academics, but also through mentorship programmes which you provided to boys as well as girls to develop character, academic growth, and life skills,” Garba said.

She said the Federal Government was pursuing reforms through the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative to expand access to education, improve quality and reduce the number of out-of-school children.

Detailing UBEC’s intervention in the Agboju school, Garba said, “UBEC has provided infrastructure, rehabilitation, academic facilities, supplies of ICT materials, teacher and student furniture, tools for skills development, lab equipment, and overall environment improvement. We believe that investment in education should be visible. Children deserve a conducive environment for learning.

“Today, we are officially handing this facility back to the Lagos State government, and we trust that the state will sustain the investment.”

Garba also disclosed that another Alternative High School for Girls currently under construction in Ikorodu is nearing completion and would soon be inaugurated.

The development is expected to expand access to second-chance education and vocational skills for more girls and women in Lagos State.

The Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary of Lagos Education District V, Mr. Abiodun Hassan, assured stakeholders that the rehabilitated facility would be put to proper use and sustained through a strict maintenance culture.

Teachers and students at the school expressed excitement over the transformation, saying the improved environment had further motivated them to focus on their studies.

The rehabilitation has upgraded the institution with 21st-century classrooms, vocational workshops, science laboratories, a library, ICT facilities and a main hall.

It also features modern water and toilet systems, as well as a crèche for nursing mothers to keep their children safe while they attend classes.

Background

The Alternative High School for Girls was conceived and introduced by Oluremi Tinubu in 2007 during her husband’s tenure as Governor of Lagos State.

The institution, the first of its kind in Nigeria, was established to provide formal education and vocational skills to young female school dropouts who had been forced out of the system by early pregnancy, poverty or cultural barriers.

Since its inception, the Lagos State Government-owned school has provided an avenue for girls and women to return to education, acquire vocational skills and work towards completing their secondary education.