The group aims to re-enroll 10,000 girls in schools in Gombe

The Coordinator of the Adolescent Girls Learning and Empowerment Initiative Project, Haruna Amina-Abdul, has expressed optimism that as many as 10,000 girls could be re-enrolled in school following the increase in the number of out-of-school children in Gombe State.

Amina-Abdul made the disclosure on Wednesday during a day-long sensitization meeting with community-based organizations and non-governmental organizations in Gombe.

Our correspondent reports that the awareness campaign was organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the AGILE AF project.

According to her, more and more girls are dropping out of school due to various problems.

She said: “We are here to continue a series of sensitizations that are essential before implementation. Today, we invite non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations to engage with them to explore areas of collaboration for the successful implementation of the project.

“The project will not be considered to have an impact if there is no relative increase in the number of girls enrolled in schools.

“As things stand, more and more girls are dropping out of school, but our goal is to get them back in school. We aim to enroll 10,000. It’s not that girls are not in school, it’s just that their parents are not ready to send them to school.”

Voice of Hope Executive Director Gloria Usman said community-based organisations and NGOs have a huge role to play in achieving the project’s mandate.

“The project gives girls a second chance to get an education. As you drive along the main highways, you see girls waiting to be used as cheap labour,” she said.

Speaking earlier, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Aishatu Maigari, represented by Adamu Dukku, called on NGOs and community-based organisations to work assiduously to achieve the necessary results.

Maigari said: “Bring your ideas and skills. Let’s work hand in hand so that together we can make a lasting difference and exceed our goal.”