A Non-Governmental Organisation, Supporting Women and Children Initiative (SISWACHI), has engaged education stakeholders in Bauchi and Katagum Local Government Areas of the state to identify challenges and proffer solutions to emerging issues affecting the life-skills component of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project.
The Executive Director of the organization, Mrs Maryam Mohammed, disclosed this on Wednesday at a two-day quarterly stakeholders’ review meeting held in Bauchi.
She said the engagement was aimed at collectively identifying problems that could hinder effective implementation of the project and ensuring sustainable measures were put in place for continuity among the benefiting girls.
According to her, the project targets 100 schools, 200 Guidance Counsellors and 100 community mentors to support adolescent girls across the participating schools.
“We have so far recruited and trained 123 Guidance Counsellors who are currently engaging with the girls,” she said.
Mohammed explained that the engagement would provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss implementation challenges and develop practical solutions for improved outcomes.
She also appreciated the Bauchi State Ministry of Education for its support towards the full implementation of the AGILE life-skills component.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Ministry of Education, Alhaji Ali Babayo, described the meeting as an opportunity to receive feedback from stakeholders at the school level.
Babayo, who noted that the engagement would enhance implementation processes, added that identified challenges would be addressed to ensure the project’s impact.
The participants identified some of the challenges to include inadequate number of mentors, limited time allocated for safe-space activities, and insufficient Guidance Counsellors.
Some of the proposed solutions included integrating life-skills sessions into school timetables, among others.
Participants at the meeting included school principals, School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) members, supervisors, and community mentors.
The Life Skills Sub-component 2.2A, is a school-based safe-space mentoring programme under AGILE designed to support girls in Senior Second School 1 and 2(SS1/ SS2)
It covers education, life skills, reproductive health, adolescent nutrition and health, gender-based violence (GBV), and climate change.
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