The Kwara State Government has commenced plans to upgrade 898 public secondary schools under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), a project supported by the World Bank.

The initiative, aimed at improving access to quality education, particularly for adolescent girls, forms part of the state’s broader education reform agenda under Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement in Ilorin, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, said the project would significantly transform learning conditions across public secondary schools in the state.

He noted that the intervention is designed to address infrastructural deficits while creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for students. According to him, the implementation process has already begun with the mobilisation of School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) to oversee projects at the grassroots level.

Technical Service Providers have also been engaged to support execution, with an initial disbursement of funds released to kick-start work in selected schools. The first phase of the programme covers 111 schools across key local government areas, including Asa, Ilorin West, Offa, Oyun, Ilorin East and Ilorin South.

Officials said this pilot phase would serve as a model for the full rollout across all 898 schools. The government explained that the schools have been categorised based on their needs, with some receiving small-scale interventions and others undergoing more extensive upgrades.

Beyond infrastructure, the AGILE project includes provisions for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities, digital learning tools, and social support programmes such as conditional cash transfers aimed at reducing school dropout rates among girls.

Authorities expressed confidence that the initiative would not only improve the physical condition of schools but also boost enrolment, retention and academic performance, particularly among female students.

The AGILE project is a multi-year programme implemented across several Nigerian states, targeting improved educational outcomes and greater empowerment for adolescent girls through sustained investment in the education sector.