KWARA AGILE PROJECT: Alim and Associates Ltd. Applauds Kwara State Government As Over 5000 SBMCs Receive Training 

KWARA AGILE PROJECT: Alim and Associates Ltd. Applauds Kwara State Government As Over 5000 SBMCs Receive Training

Zainab Tanimu

Alim & Associates Ltd. has applauded the Kwara State Government for the successful completion of the School Based Management Committees (SBMC) training exercise.

The commendation was given while fielding questions from journalists in Ilorin.

The exercise which brought together over 5,000 people from across the 3 senatorial zones in Kwara state started with the training of facilitators who inturn equipped the SBMC members with the required skills and knowledge on their roles and responsibilities and development of School Improvement Plan SIP for their respective schools.

The SBMCs are critical stakeholders of the exercise as they are key to ensuring proper implementation of the AGILE projects.

Alim & Associates Ltd. is the Consultant engaged for the Kwara AGILE under Component 1.2 to carry out the Consultancy Services with respect to the Training of the SBMCs and Supervision of the renovation of 898 schools across the state.

Speaking, Managing Partner of Alim and Associates Ltd. Engr. Muhyideen Alimi Yusuf noted that the challenges not withstanding, successes were recorded.

“We have successfully completed training for School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) across 898 schools in Kwara state, involving over 5,000 people in a challenging five-day exercise.

“The SBMCs are charged with the responsibility of preparing School Improvement Plans (SIPs), which will determine what projects get approved for their schools.

Engr. Muhyideen emphasising the importance of the SBMCs in the actualisation of the AGILE project charged  them to make good use of the 4days training to create functional SIPs for  their schools.

Parents he added should be encouraged  to take advantage of the proposed renovations of the 898 schools by sending their children, especially girls, back to school to complete at least secondary education.

The Kwara AGILE Project Coordinator, Mr. Abdulazeez Adesina Salami speaking to newsmen in Ajase, one of the centers under Kwara south had described the training as one of the biggest achievements recorded by AGILE.

The challenges particularly in the area of funding not withstanding, a lot  were achieved.

He commended partners like the Alim and Associates for their supportive role during the exercise. According to him, “what we have been seeing as challenges became our strength.”

Salami assured of effective monitoring of the projects as the mechanisms and monitoring team are already in place.

The participants he said were very  enthusiastic and demonstrated commitments which was very encouraging.

Deputy Project Coordinator, Lawal Hamza Adisa informed that himself and his team were at different local government centers and the  turn-out  was very impressive.

“Most of the participants made their comments showing that they were very happy with the scheme and that is what we want.

“I must say we have not made a mistake for having Alim and Associates as the supervisory consultant for this project. Such doesn’t come on a platter of gold but as a result of commitment which has so far been demonstrated.

“We have been to the classes, seen the enthusiasm on the faces of the participants. We observed and addressed some of their challenges. We have seen the high level of seriousness towards the training which is an indicator that Alim and Associates have done a good job.

Also speaking, the 1.2 Component Lead, QS Amina Shehu commended Alim and Associates for a job well done.

“I was at Ajase. The turnout was impressive.  All came out from their various local government areas in order that their communities can benefit from the AGILE Project.

With regards to the disbursement of  AGILE funds, necessary steps she said have been taken to ensure that the funds are properly utilized for what it is meant for.

The environmental expert Mr Owolabi assured that no community will suffer any environmental risk in the course of executing the project as precautionary measures has been taken to avoid any disaster.

The exercise at the Kwara Central was very peaceful. So also was that of Kwara north

The Lead resources person, Dr. Adeyemi Adeyemo,  expressing satisfaction with the overall turnout of participants and the zeal demonstrated is optimistic of the project impacting positively on the lives of the communities.

In their separate contributions, all the speakers appreciated the Kwara state Government for its stride towards the actualisation of the AGILE Project.

The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment project focuses on enhancing secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls aged 10 to 20 within specified communities.

It is a federal government project under the auspice of the federal ministry of education through the coordination of the National and various States Project Implementation Units with support from the World Bank.

Research has shown that adolescent girls in Nigeria often face barriers in their educational pursuit such as sociocultural pressures, financial constraints, and inadequate infrastructure that prevents them from accessing and completing their secondary education.

The AGILE Project seeks to address these challenges in order to make secondary education more conducive and attractive to the adolescent girl child, the parents and the communities, at large. The project aims to ensuring that girls are enrolled, retained, and complete their secondary education.