The Kwara State Government has introduced a new financial incentive designed to reduce the number of out-of-school children, especially girls, across the state.
Under the World Bank-assisted Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project, parents will receive ₦130,000 for enrolling and keeping their daughters in school.
Speaking on Wednesday during the second day of the third-quarter inter-ministerial press briefing in Ilorin, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, said over 37,000 girls have already been captured to benefit from the programme.
“No girl in Kwara State will receive less than ₦130,000 to go to school. We have paid our counterpart funds, and the disbursement will begin soon,” Olohungbebe stated.
He explained that the initiative is part of the government’s broader efforts to improve access to quality education and empower young girls to achieve their full potential.
The commissioner also announced the cancellation of Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) fees in all public schools, describing the move as a deliberate step to remove financial barriers that discourage school attendance.
In addition, he disclosed that the state has introduced a second-chance education programme targeting older youths who missed opportunities to complete their schooling.
Dr. Olohungbebe reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all by 2030.