Over 40,000 adolescent girls in Kaduna have benefited from life skills education as Governor Uba Sani plans to make the programme compulsory in schools
No fewer than 40,000 adolescent girls in Kaduna State have benefited from a structured life skills education programme as Governor Uba Sani moves to institutionalise the initiative across public secondary schools in the state.
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The state government said the programme is part of broader efforts to strengthen girl-child education and equip students with practical life skills beyond conventional academic learning.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed that Governor Sani will soon transmit an Executive Bill to the Kaduna State House of Assembly to make life skills education a compulsory and permanent component of the secondary school curriculum.
According to the statement, the programme is being implemented under the World Bank–supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project.
The initiative has so far reached 40,536 adolescent girls and 1,864 boys across senior secondary schools in the state, while 1,141 teachers have been trained as mentors to deliver the curriculum.
Speaking at a strategic workshop on the institutionalisation of life skills education held in Abuja, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, said the administration is committed to repositioning education to focus on emotional intelligence, resilience and leadership, in addition to academic excellence.
Representing Governor Sani at the event, Sambo said, “Our goal is to deliberately build life skills that will help young people, especially girls, navigate real-life challenges and become responsible leaders in their communities.”
He explained that the reform marks a shift from traditional rote learning to a more holistic education model that emphasises practical application, emotional development and critical thinking.
According to him, the life skills curriculum covers empowerment, health and nutrition, reproductive health, prevention of gender-based violence, climate change awareness and social inclusion.
Sambo noted that early outcomes from the programme include improved self-confidence among students, reduced absenteeism and increased school enrolment.
He added that positive behavioural changes such as better interpersonal relationships, respect for diversity and enhanced empathy have also been recorded.
The AGILE State Project Coordinator, Maryam Dangaji, confirmed that the programme has been implemented across all senior secondary schools in Kaduna State to ensure no girl is excluded from accessing essential life skills education.
Similarly, the Executive Director of the Centre for Girls’ Education, Dr Habiba Mohammed, described Kaduna’s approach as “a model for sustainable, girl-child-focused education reform in Nigeria.”
Reacting to the proposed legislation, the Chairman of the Kaduna State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Emmanuel Kantiok, assured stakeholders that lawmakers are prepared to fast-track the bill once consultations are concluded.
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He said the passage of the bill would give life skills education a firm legal and budgetary backing in the state.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
