The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing quality education with a special focus on integrating girl-child education into national development efforts. Speaking at the official inauguration of the Quality Education and Girl-Child Initiatives, Dr. Alausa emphasized the need to create an enabling environment for learning and skills development.
He highlighted key focus areas of the initiative, including Science, Technology, Engineering, and Medical (STEM) education, quality assurance, and data digitalization. According to him, the inauguration of these initiatives marks a significant step in ensuring that education policies are not only launched but also implemented effectively to drive meaningful change.
To facilitate the initiative’s implementation, Dr. Alausa inaugurated special committees tasked with addressing leadership, counseling, and technical aspects of child education, as well as tackling the challenge of out-of-school children. He urged committee members to approach their assignments with dedication, purpose, and focus, assuring them of the government’s full support.
Speaking earlier, the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, reiterated the government’s unwavering commitment to inclusive and equitable education for all, with a particular emphasis on empowering the girl child. She stated that education remains the bedrock of national progress and sustainable development. Through initiatives like the Luminah Girl-Child Initiative, the ministry is taking decisive steps to bridge the education gap, foster innovation, and equip young people with essential skills for the future.
She further emphasized that a future-ready education system must focus on empowering educators to provide high-quality, future-focused instruction, ultimately illuminating pathways for the girl-child and women.
In their goodwill messages, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Iman Suleiman, underscored the need for innovative and collaborative efforts to enhance national development through education. Similarly, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, stressed the importance of digital literacy in bridging the gender gap. He announced plans to deploy NYSC corps members to train market traders in digital literacy, fostering economic growth and diversification.
The event also featured a comprehensive presentation by Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad on the state of quality education and girl-child education in Nigeria, highlighting key challenges and strategies for improvement.
At the end of the ceremony, appointment letters were officially presented to committee members, marking the beginning of their work in advancing these critical educational initiatives.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.
