Monthly Archives: September 2025

The ministry of Basic and Secondary Education sokoto State wishes to inform the general public, especially parents and guardians of female students across secondary schools in the state, that following the official launch of the AGILE support program by the First Lady of Sokoto State, Her Excellency Hajiya Fatima Ahmad Aliyu, funds have been successfully disbursed to beneficiaries through ATM cards distributed in schools.

However, the Ministry has received disturbing reports that some school principals and teachers have unlawfully collected ATM cards from students and are allegedly withdrawing part of the funds for personal use. This is a serious breach of trust and a clear act of exploitation, which the government strongly condemns and will not tolerate.

The Ministry hereby states the following:

1. ATM cards belong solely to the students. No school authority or staff member has the right to collect or withhold a student’s card under any circumstance.
2. Parents are strongly advised to ensure that their daughters have full possession and control of their ATM cards.
3. Any principal, teacher, or staff member found guilty of this act will face immediate administrative action.
4. Concerned parents or students who experience or witness such acts should report immediately by calling the following number: 08036074739.
5. The Ministry will follow up all credible reports and ensure full accountability and justice.

This warning serves as a strong reminder to all school authorities that the AGILE fund is a State intervention meant to empower female students and improve access to education not an opportunity for exploitation.

The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the protection of students’ rights across all schools in the state.

Signed,
Professor Ahmad Ladan Ala
Honourable Commissioner Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education
Sokoto State

The Sokoto State Government has officially launched a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program targeting 41,825 adolescent girls across all 23 local government areas, under the World Bank-supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE).

The flag-off ceremony took place at the Government House in Sokoto and was presided over by Hajiya Fatima Ahmed Aliyu, the wife of the Sokoto State Governor. In her remarks, the First Lady commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu for his unwavering commitment to girl-child education and expressed appreciation to AGILE and other development partners for their continued support.

Launched in August 2024, AGILE is a transformative education intervention aimed at increasing school enrollment, retention, and completion among girls. The initiative provides targeted financial support to vulnerable households, alongside investments in critical school infrastructure and learning environments.

Each of the 41,825 beneficiaries will receive ₦40,000 per academic term, as long as the project continues, to support their education and reduce the economic barriers to schooling. The girls, in their testimonies, expressed gratitude and pledged to use the funds responsibly to further their education.

Since its inception, the AGILE program has recorded tremendous success, with over 200,000 girls targeted to benefit in Sokoto State alone before the project’s conclusion.

The Honourable Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Professor Ahmad Ladan Ala, was represented at the ceremony by the Director of Administration, Abubakar Umar Salame, who delivered the commissioner’s remarks. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s support for the AGILE project and emphasized the importance of sustaining girls’ access to quality education.

Also present at the event were the representative of the Sultan of Sokoto, Aminu Bala (Dan Iyan Sakkwato), and the AGILE National Coordinator, Hajia Amina Buba Haruna, who all praised the Sokoto State Government for its commitment to girls’ education. They noted that the state’s remarkable implementation has exceeded expectations, especially as it was not among the initial 18 states captured in the AGILE initiative.

Following the flag-off, the AGILE National Coordinator paid a courtesy visit to the wife of the Governor at her residence. She also held a brief meeting with all component leads at the AGILE State Office, where she commended the team for the successful launch and reaffirmed the continued support of the National Office.

The Sokoto AGILE Team is delighted to announce the official Flag-Off Ceremony of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Programme, scheduled as follows:

Date: Thursday, 25th September 2025
Venue: Government House, Sokoto
Time: 10:00 AM (Guests are kindly requested to be seated by 9:30 AM)

This historic event will be presided over by Her Excellency, the Wife of the Executive Governor of Sokoto State. It marks the official commencement of direct cash transfers to 41,825 beneficiaries across all 23 Local Government Areas of the state.

The Conditional Cash Transfer is a vital component of the AGILE initiative, designed to support vulnerable households and promote girls’ education through targeted interventions.

The Sokoto State Governor, Dr Ahmad Aliyu, has donated 3 utility vans to the Sokoto State Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (SOKOTO AGILE) project in a bid to strengthen its monitoring and supervision of the construction of new schools and the ongoing school renovation works across the state. The gesture is aimed at improving the efficiency of the project team in reaching schools in both urban and rural communities.

Presenting the vehicle, the Governor, throughthe Secretary to the State Government, Alhaii Bello Sifawa, said the donation reflects his administration’s commitment to ensuring that the AGILE project achieves its goal of expanding access to quality education, especially for adolescent girls. He explained that with several schools currently undergoing renovation under the initiative, the provision of a dedicated van would enable field officers to carry out regular inspections and provide timely reports.

The Governor further noted that education remains a top priority in his administration, stressing that investing in infrastructure, supervision, and empowerment initiatives will go a long way in addressing the challenges facing secondary education in Sokoto State. He assured that the state government would continue to support AGILE to improve enrollment as well as teaching and learning outcomes.

Speaking on behalf of the AGILE project team, the State Commissioner of Basic and Secondary Education, Professor Ahmad Ala, commended the Governor for the support, describing the donation as timely. He said the vans would ease mobility challenges and enhance project monitoring, ensuring that schools under renovation meet the required standards and are delivered within schedule.

The three vans will be utilised by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU), State Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education as well as the state Ministry for Science and Technology.

Community leaders and education stakeholders also lauded the intervention, saying it would accelerate the transformation of learning environments across Sokoto. They expressed optimism that with strengthened supervision, the AGILE project will have lasting impact in improving enrollment, retention, and overall educational opportunities for girls in the state.