Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed the importance of girl-child education to national development, saying every girl deserves an opportunity to complete her education and fulfil her potential despite life’s challenges.
Tinubu spoke through the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, during the commissioning of the renovated Alternative High School for Girls in Agboju, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
The school, established in 2007 during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tenure as Lagos State governor, was designed to provide girls whose education had been interrupted by early pregnancy and other socio-economic challenges with an opportunity to return to school, complete their secondary education and acquire vocational skills.
The renovated facility comprises two blocks with more than 26 classrooms, alongside agriculture, physics and biology laboratories. It also has facilities for cosmetology, garment-making, hairdressing, catering and home economics, as well as a library and ICT centre.
Representing the First Lady, Shettima said the school reflected the conviction that no girl should be denied the opportunity to achieve her potential because of difficult circumstances.
She commended the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), led by its Executive Secretary, Dr Aisha Garba, for renovating and equipping the facility and improving the learning environment for the students.
Tinubu also praised UBEC’s efforts to establish Alternative High Schools for Girls across the country, noting that another facility was under construction in Ikorodu, Lagos State, and would soon be completed.
She said her vision was to have at least one Alternative High School for Girls in each of Lagos State’s three senatorial districts.
According to her, Lagos West and Lagos East already have such facilities, leaving Lagos Central as the only district yet to benefit from the initiative.
She therefore called on the Lagos State Government to establish another Alternative High School for Girls in Lagos Central and ensure the effective management and maintenance of the existing facilities.
Addressing the students, Tinubu urged them to maximise the opportunities provided by the school and refuse to allow past experiences to determine their future.
“Let your past not define your future. With determination, discipline, and hard work, you can achieve your dreams and become positive contributors to our nation’s development,” she said.
Also speaking, the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, represented her husband at the event and described the commissioning as more than the unveiling of a renovated school.
She said the project had restored dignity and created new opportunities for young women, stressing that educating a girl ultimately benefits the family, community and nation.
The Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, said the commission remained committed to providing alternative access to education combined with skills development for young people across the country.
She explained that the renovation formed part of the Federal Government’s renewed commitment to expanding educational opportunities, adding that work on the Ikorodu Alternative High School for Girls was progressing and the facility would soon be commissioned.
Goodwill messages were also delivered by the Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education and the Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board.
The ceremony ended with an inspection of the renovated facilities by Hajiya Nana Shettima, representing the First Lady.
