First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has reaffirmed her commitment to helping girls whose formal education has been disrupted by pregnancy and other social or economic challenges return to school.
She made the commitment at the inauguration of the renovated Alternative High School for Girls in Agboju, Lagos.
Represented by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, the First Lady said no girl should permanently lose the opportunity to fulfil her potential because of difficult circumstances.
The school was originally established in 2007 to provide an alternative pathway for girls whose education had been interrupted.
The renovated facility consists of more than 26 classrooms and includes laboratories for agriculture, physics and biology.
It also has vocational facilities for cosmetology, garment making, hairdressing, catering and home economics as well as library and information technology resources.
Tinubu commended the Universal Basic Education Commission for renovating and equipping the school.
She also welcomed the ongoing construction of another alternative high school in Ikorodu.
The First Lady said the long term objective was to establish at least one such institution in each of the three senatorial districts of Lagos State.
She urged the state government to complete the programme by providing a similar school in Lagos Central.
Tinubu encouraged students to take full advantage of the opportunity and refused to allow their past experiences to determine their future.
Lagos officials said the initiative would help restore dignity, expand educational opportunity and give young women skills that could improve their economic independence.
UBEC said the project formed part of a wider effort to expand alternative education and skills development for girls across Nigeria.
