The wife of Kwara State Governor, Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq, has advocated for equal access to quality education for all children, regardless of gender or socio-economic status.
She made this call during a lecture titled “The Need for Girl-Child Education” at an event organized by the Havilah Foundation in collaboration with Chidimma in Ilorin.
Ambassador Abdulrazaq highlighted the importance of educating young girls and stressed the role of boys and men in creating a safer environment for women and girls, both in urban and rural communities.
The event, held at Tanke Secondary School, Ilorin, involved the distribution of educational materials such as school bags, exercise books, mathematical sets, and uniforms to 700 students from 14 public schools.
Represented by the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Dr. Afeez Abolore Alabi, the First Lady emphasized the alignment of the event with Kwara State’s 10-Year Strategic Development Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She expressed her gratitude to the organizers for their dedication to supporting underprivileged students.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Mrs. Rebecca Bake, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to ensuring every child is included in its education policies and urged the students to make good use of the materials provided.
Mrs. Adebisi Omolara Gloria, Secretary of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), encouraged female students to take their education seriously and compete with their male counterparts.
Tiwatope Olumide, the National Technical Lead for CHIDIMMA and HAVILAH FOUNDATION, reaffirmed the foundation’s commitment to supporting the Kwara State Government’s 10-year development plan.
He emphasized the urgent need to address gender equity and access to education for the girl-child. He also highlighted the importance of media advocacy and recognized the role of the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in raising awareness on this issue.
Dr. Ogunshola Olufemi, Project Manager for the IGNITE Project, explained that the beneficiaries were selected based on their vulnerability and that the educational materials, valued at ₦50 million, would support the education of less privileged students.
The District Head of Tanke, Alhaji Umar Salaudeen, expressed his appreciation to the Havilah Foundation and other stakeholders for their efforts in providing educational materials.
Mrs. Kuburat Olumoh, Principal of Government Day Secondary School, Tanke, commended the initiative and stressed its alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The 700 students, from 5 primary schools, 6 junior secondary schools, and 3 senior secondary schools in Ilorin South Local Government Area, benefited from the distribution.
