The Kaduna State Government says more than 40,000 adolescent girls have benefitted from a structured life skills education programme, as Governor Uba Sani moves to institutionalise the initiative across public secondary schools.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Information, the governor is set to transmit an Executive Bill to the Kaduna State House of Assembly to make life skills education a mandatory and permanent part of the state’s secondary school curriculum.
The programme, implemented under the World Bank supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, has so far reached 40,536 girls and 1,864 boys, with 1,141 teachers trained as mentors across senior secondary schools.
Speaking at a strategic workshop in Abuja on the institutionalisation of life skills education, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo, said the administration is committed to moving education beyond academics.
“This reform deliberately builds emotional intelligence, resilience, leadership and social responsibility, especially among girls,” he said, while speaking on behalf of Governor Uba Sani.
Sambo explained that the initiative represents a shift from a traditional “thinking” model of education to a more holistic “doing and feeling” approach that prepares students for real-life challenges.
The life skills curriculum covers empowerment, health and nutrition, reproductive health, prevention of gender-based violence, climate change and social inclusion. Early outcomes, according to the ministry, include improved student confidence, reduced absenteeism, increased enrolment and positive behavioural change.
The AGILE State Project Coordinator, Hajiya Maryam Sani Dangaji, confirmed that the programme has been implemented across all senior secondary schools in Kaduna, while the Executive Director, Centre for Girls’ Education, Dr. Habiba Mohammed, described the initiative as a benchmark for sustainable, girl-child-focused education reform.
Reacting to the proposed bill, the Chairman, Kaduna State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Hon. Emmanuel Bako Kantiok, assured that lawmakers are ready to fast-track its passage after stakeholder consultations.
The proposed legislation is expected to provide a clear legal framework and dedicated funding, ensuring that life skills education—particularly for the girl-child—remains a core component of Kaduna State’s public education system.
