Katsina State Governor Dikko Umaru Radda has flagged off the second tranche of school improvement grants totaling more than 6.1 billion naira, directing the funds to 110 schools across the state as part of an education reform drive anchored in the AGILE project framework.

The governor described the disbursement as tangible evidence of his administration’s commitment to building an education system that was inclusive, functional, accountable, and capable of equipping children for competition in a rapidly changing world. He said every naira in the grant must be applied with the highest levels of transparency, prudence, and accountability in line with approved guidelines.

He called on school-based management committees, parents, community leaders, and teachers to support the utilization of the funds and ensure that completed projects were properly maintained.

The state commissioner for basic and secondary education said the AGILE project was also advancing inclusive education through the distribution of specialized learning materials to students with special needs, underscoring the administration’s intent to ensure that no child was left behind regardless of physical condition or learning difficulty.

The state Universal Basic Education Board chairman commended the governor’s investments in the education sector. The state project coordinator for the AGILE initiative reported that 104,111 female students had benefited from the project’s conditional cash transfer incentive designed to support and sustain girls’ enrolment and retention in school.