By Adeola Kunle
The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Aisha Garba, has reaffirmed that every Nigerian child deserves access to quality education, regardless of personal or social circumstances.
Garba made the declaration during the formal commissioning of the rehabilitated Alternative High School for Girls in Agboju, Lagos State.
She explained that the rehabilitation, carried out with support from UBEC through its UBE Direct Intervention, went beyond the provision of physical infrastructure, describing it as a renewed opportunity for girls and young women whose education had been disrupted for different reasons.
According to her, girls who dropped out of school should not be considered lost causes, just as young mothers who wish to return to education should not be made to feel that their opportunity has passed.
“A girl whose circumstances prevented her from completing her education should be given another opportunity.
“Every child deserves an alternative pathway to acquire the education they deserve to succeed in life,” she said.
The UBEC Executive Secretary noted that the Alternative High School for Girls was established to create opportunities for girls and young women to return to learning, develop useful skills and build productive and fulfilling lives.
She urged stakeholders to ensure that the institution becomes more than a place where girls attend classes, but also an environment where hope is restored, confidence is strengthened and future possibilities are renewed.
Garba commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising education and human capital development under the Renewed Hope Agenda. She also praised the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her continued commitment to the education and empowerment of girls and young women.
She said the intervention and support of the First Lady reflected the importance attached to ensuring that every girl has the opportunity to acquire education, develop her abilities and realise her potential.
The First Lady, who was represented at the commissioning by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, has, according to Garba, continued to inspire initiatives aimed at ensuring that no child is left behind.
Garba emphasised that children affected by conflict, displacement and other difficult circumstances still possess dreams, talents and potential and should therefore be given every opportunity to succeed.
She further stated that the Federal Government, through the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), was implementing reforms designed to improve the quality of education, expand access and ensure that no Nigerian child is excluded from learning opportunities.
According to her, the rehabilitation of the Agboju Alternative High School for Girls aligns with UBEC’s commitment to promoting inclusive education.
She disclosed that the intervention included improvements to school infrastructure and academic facilities, provision of furniture for pupils, teachers and school managers, ICT equipment and tools, laboratory and vocational equipment, WASH facilities, as well as environmental improvements.
Garba stressed that the impact of education investments should be evident not only in financial figures and official reports but also in the quality of classrooms, facilities available to learners and, most importantly, the positive transformation in the lives of beneficiaries.
She announced that UBEC had formally handed over the rehabilitated facility to the Lagos State Government, urging the state authorities to preserve the investment, properly maintain the facilities and ensure that the school continues to serve the girls for whom it was established.
The UBEC boss also disclosed that the second Alternative High School for Girls, located in Ikorodu, was at an advanced stage of completion. According to her, the project would further broaden opportunities for girls and young women seeking alternative routes back into education.
She further announced that UBEC would provide a school bus and digital smart boards for classrooms before the end of 2026.
Garba, however, noted that the real success of the intervention would not be determined by the appearance of the rehabilitated school but by the difference it makes in the lives of the girls who attend it.
She said the ultimate measure of success would be a girl who enters the school and realises that her future remains possible, acquires a skill, secures employment, establishes a business or grows into a leader within her community.
She described these outcomes as the reason such investments in education are important.
Garba also called on the Agboju community to take ownership of the institution by protecting the facilities, supporting their maintenance and encouraging the girls enrolled in the school to make the most of the opportunities available to them.
Adeola Kunle
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