The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) has organized a capacity-building training for journalists in Zamfara State to strengthen their skills in reporting Girls education and development-related issues.
Speaking during the Biannual Media Round Table, the Coordinator of AGILE in the State, Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdu Gusau said the training was aimed at equipping media practitioners with knowledge on development communication and enhancing collaboration in promoting adolescent girls’ education and empowerment.
She explained that the initiative seeks to improve the quality of content on education-related programmes to encourage enrollment, re-enrollment, transition, and completion of schooling for girls.
Highlighting some of AGILE’s achievements in Zamfara, Hajiya Sa’adatu revealed that 1,100 desktop computers and 50 projectors have been procured and distributed.
She said 590 classrooms were renovated, 115 boreholes constructed in schools, and 185 modern toilets built to provide a safe learning environment.
She added that the annual school census revealed an increase in student enrollment from 854,990 in 2023 to 905,323 in 2024, with a significant reduction in the number of out-of-school children.
In addition, 8,225 adolescent girls received Conditional Cash Transfers to support their education among others.
Hajiya Sa’adatu stressed that, the ongoing Back-to-School campaign remains vital in achieving AGILE’s overall goal.
Ealier, Zamfara State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Malam Wadato Madawaki, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to breaking barriers that hinder adolescent girls from accessing quality education.
Represented by Malam Ibrahim Mohammed said the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal is determined to make education a powerful tool for empowerment, economic growth, and societal transformation.
“As a government under the visionary leadership of His Excellency, Governor Dauda Lawal, we are deeply committed to removing obstacles that prevent girls from going to school. Education is not just a right, but one of the most powerful instruments for empowerment and development,”
Malam Madawaki called on media practitioners to always encourage parents to enroll their daughters in school, inspire girls to remain committed to learning, and hold stakeholders accountable for the future of children.
The Commissioner further appreciated the support of development partners and the media community, stressing that, collective efforts will accelerate progress and ensure that every girl in the state has the opportunity to learn, thrive, and contribute meaningfully to society.
“Together, we can make education a lasting legacy for our children. I wish us all fruitful deliberations and commend the outcomes of this bold initiative,” the Commissioner added.
In his paper presentation, a visiting lecturer at the Department of Mass Communication, Zamfara University, Talata Mafara, Dr. Naziru A. Tukur, called on journalists to go beyond surface-level of reporting and help communities understand both the challenges and solutions in the AGILE programme.
“The problem is not just infrastructure. The real issue is that many girls are still not in school. Journalists must make people see this as a problem. Once the public recognizes it, they will begin to seek solutions, and that is where the media becomes critical,” he said.
Dr. Tukur emphasized the need for journalists to also adopt strategic storytelling to turn awareness into positive action, particularly in encouraging parents to send their daughters to school.
He also urged journalists to embrace development communication as a tool for driving educational progress in Zamfara State.
In her remarks, the Manager of Administration, NTA Gusau, Maryam Mustapha, who represented the General Manager, commended journalists for their role in supporting AGILE campaigns.
She appealed to them to pay special attention in reporting issues affecting adolescent girls with disabilities and to use local languages when communicating with rural communities to ensure AGILE’s messages are well understood.
Many journalist who spoke during the training described it as wellcome development because it would help in shaping the thinking of Journalists on promoting the importance of Girls Child Education.
Radio Nigeria Correspondent reports that the AGILE programme, supported by the World Bank, is one of the most ambitious interventions designed to expand access to quality education and empower adolescent girls in Zamfara State and across Nigeria.
The training with the theme Development Communication For Adolescent Girls Education had brought together journalist from various media organizations operating in Zamfara State.
COV/AMINU DALHATU
