…seek for more impactful interventions
By Precious Oham
Stakeholders in education sector have commended the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, AGILE, for placing more value on children through qualitative education, infrastructure and development of teachers’ capacity.
The stakeholders commended AGILE in Otun Ekiti, Moba local Government on Monday at a Town Hall Meeting with Key Stakeholders in Adolescent Education and Empowerment organised by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in collaboration with AGILE, in Otun-Ekiti, Moba LGA of Ekiti State.
According to the Acting Area Education Officer of Moba LGA, Mrs Ayandokun Funmilola, AGILE programme had positive impact on the education and life of girl child in Ekiti, saying there is a dire need for more Guidance and Counsellors teachers to help build the students morally.
She also tasked AGILE to incorporate the Life Skills project which will help the girl-child to improve and stand independently after secondary school education.
She applauded the group for improving the standard of education in schools through the building of halls and classrooms.
She said: “We are believing the second phase of the project like life skill training for the girls, which will help them to improve and be able to stand on their own even after secondary school.
“In the area of guidance and counseling because some of these girls don’t know their right from their wrong, If our students can be guided in the area of their career, personal life and counseled to be able to know what to do. If government can employ more Guidance and Counsellors teachers, that will help to build them morally.
“Some of the projects being done by AGILE are assisting the students such as the erection of toilets for both male and female in the school. Now that they have separate toilets for boys and girls, it has solved a problem. Then in some schools, hall and some classrooms are being renovated.
“So, the issue of merging students together in a classroom which affects effective teaching and learning in the schools have been solved. Some of the halls renovated have helped students during their exams especially during external exams.”
Similarly, the Principal Erinmope High School, Pastor Kayode Ajewole, called on AGILE to erect perimeter fencing to improve the security of students.
He equally commended AGILE for making the school environment conducive for students and teachers noting that it has improved the standard of education.
“We thank God that larger grounds will be coming. The area of perimeter fencing possibly in all schools. It will increase the chance of security and reduce the porosity of the school. Now such a thing will be included in their programme.
“It has been a very wonderful programme since they started last year. It has improved the teaching, learning exercise in our community and we have been having improvements in the enrollment of students. Since we have environment that is conducive, a good number of them have been coming back to the school. The teachers are happy to be in an environment that is presentable and good enough for their teaching exercise.”
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Project Coordinator of AGILE, Toyin Osaleye , urged the stakeholders to sensitise members of their community on effective monitoring of the projects being executed by the group.
His words: “We are here to sensitise our people and know what is going on under AGILE project so that they can help to sensitise the community on AGILE project.
“We have our schools that are having dilapidated buildings, renovate the schools and put the materials which we can use for Learning activities. We have digital literacy system where we provide computer lab for the schools to enhance learning process.
“We want them to move around the communities to sensitise our people that under the AGILE project we are having different types of renovations and projects in each of the communities so that they can help us to monitor those projects because it’s their own project.”
Highlights of the programme were sensitisation sessions by various AGILE Resource Speakers on Life Skills, Digital Skills, Gender Based Violence, Grievances Redress Mechanism among others.
The programme had in attendance, stakeholders such as students, artisans, business women and men; market women, youths, principals of secondary schools, teachers, traditional and religious leaders.