Journalists Partner AGILE To Promote Girl Child Education In Bauchi
By Idris Ayiinde
Some Practicing Journalists in Bauchi State have expressed readiness to support the World Bank supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment Additional Funding (AGILE AF) in promoting Girls’ Education in the state.
They made this known on Sunday during a Bi-annual Media Roundtable meeting organised by the State Ministry of Education in collaboration with AGILE Project in the state.
Speaking at the meeting, Dr Jamila Dahiru, the state’s Commissioner for Education, commended the media partnership toward changing the negative indices especially as it relates to Girl Child Education.
Represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Ali Babayo, the Commissioner expressed the state government’s resolve to revamp the education sector with the provision of conducive environment for learning.
She charged all the journalists in the state to make sacrifices by working toward the success of the AGILE project in the state.
According to her “the present administration is passionate about educational development in the state.
“I want to urge all stakeholders to ensure education is moved forward, we are extending an open arm to the Media as partners so as to change all the negative indices in the education sector”, she appeals.
In a paper presentation, the AGILE Project Coordinator in the state, Alhaji Ali Gar, highlighted the various components of the project, saying that the media would play a critical role in the implementation especially, in the area of advocacy, awareness and sensitisation.
Earlier, the AGILE Communication Officer, Hajiya Halima Dimis, said the aim of the meeting was to brainstorm on the media role towards sensitising the public on the importance of girl child education and hoped that the partnership would bring about positive changes in educational delivery especially among adolescent girls.
In his address, Malam Sale Muhammad, a Girl-Child Education Specialist highlighted some of the barriers to girl child education to include lack of WASH facilities, child marriage and patriarchal oppression among others.
In a vote of thanks, the Deputy Project Coordinator of AGILE, Malam Zuhairu Usman appreciated all the media organisations and journalists for their commitment to the project, urging them to continue to guide the technical team to ensure successful implementation.
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