First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has urged governments and stakeholders to ensure that girls whose education is disrupted by poverty, early pregnancy and other challenges are given a second chance to rebuild their lives and realise their full potential.
Tinubu made the call on Friday in Agboju, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos State, while commissioning the rehabilitated First Alternative High School for Girls, established in 2007 to provide a second chance for girls whose education had been interrupted by various circumstances.
Represented at the ceremony by the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima, the First Lady said no girl or woman should be denied the opportunity to fulfil her potential because of the challenges she encountered in life.
She commended the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for rehabilitating and equipping the school, describing the project as an important investment in the education and empowerment of girls.
Tinubu said her Renewed Hope Initiative had expanded the alternative high school model to the six geopolitical zones of the country, with plans to establish at least one alternative high school for girls in each of Lagos State’s three senatorial districts.
She noted that Lagos West and Lagos East already had alternative high schools, while Lagos Central remained the only senatorial district without one.
The First Lady therefore urged the Lagos State Government to establish an alternative high school in Lagos Central and ensure the proper maintenance and smooth operation of all the facilities.
Addressing the students, she urged them to remain focused and determined in pursuing their dreams.
“Let your passion 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.
Tinubu also appreciated Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, for their support and commitment to advancing education in Lagos State.
Representing the governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu described the commissioning as more than the unveiling of a rehabilitated school, saying it represented the restoration of opportunities and the rewriting of the destinies of young women.
She recalled that the school was established nearly two decades ago following Senator Tinubu’s vision that no girl should be written off because circumstances had interrupted her education.
According to her, the institution had helped many young women return to senior secondary education while equipping them with skills and values needed to lead productive lives.
“Lives redeemed, futures rewritten. That is the true measure of this school,” she said.
The Lagos State First Lady said the state government, under its THEMES Plus agenda, had continued to prioritise education and technology through investments in classrooms, scholarships, digital skills and safe and inclusive learning environments.
She assured that the state would maintain the rehabilitated facility and sustain its mission as a centre for second chances.
She urged the students not to allow their past circumstances to define their future, encouraging them to study hard, dream boldly and use their opportunities to positively impact others.
Sanwo-Olu also disclosed that empowerment items had been presented to some graduates of the school’s vocational sections, including catering, make-up and cosmetology.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, described the project as a celebration of restored opportunities and a renewed future for girls who had experienced interruptions in their education.
He urged the students to remain disciplined and determined, stressing that their circumstances might explain where they came from but should not determine where they were going.
Alli-Balogun said the state government remained committed to ensuring that every girl had access to quality, inclusive and relevant education regardless of her background.
The Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), Dr. Hakeem Deshittu, said the initiative, which began in 2007, had given hope to many girls who could not continue their education.
He pledged that the state would preserve the school and ensure that it continued to serve its intended purpose.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Aisha Garba, said the commissioning was about giving girls another opportunity to learn, dream and build better futures for themselves and their communities.
Garba said the alternative school was founded on the principle that a girl who dropped out of school should not be regarded as a lost cause, adding that young mothers and girls whose education had been interrupted should be given another opportunity to continue their studies.
She said the rehabilitation covered infrastructure upgrades, academic facilities, furniture for teachers and students, skills-development tools, laboratory equipment, computer laboratories, water and sanitation facilities, as well as general environmental improvements.
Garba urged the Lagos State Government to sustain and properly manage the facilities so that the school could continue serving the girls for whom it was established.
She also disclosed that the second Alternative High School for Girls in Ikorodu was at an advanced stage of completion and would soon be commissioned.
The UBEC Executive Secretary said the Federal Government remained committed to improving the quality of education, expanding access, reducing the number of out-of-school children and ensuring that no child was left behind.
The ceremony was attended by education officials, government representatives, traditional leaders, teachers, students and other stakeholders.
