The Zamfara Office of the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project says it will renovate the schools for special education in different parts of the state.
The state Coordinator of the project, Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdu-Gusau, disclosed this at a meeting of the project team and state leadership of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) in Gusau on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that AGILE is a World Bank Intervention project that targets the enrollment of thousands of out-of-school adolescent girls in the state.
Abdu-Gusau, represented by the Deputy Project Coordinator, Dr Salisu Dalhatu, gave assurance that more Persons with Special Needs would be included.
She further said that the project is committed to identifying barriers to access for persons with special needs with a view to fostering collaboration with organisations that can support the project in bridging the identified gaps.
“The plan is ongoing to embark on the rehabilitation of schools for special education in the state as part of the project’s inclusive efforts towards ensuring better future for the girl child, regardless of the disability status.
“We are committed to ensuring effective implementation of the project in the state.
“The project is highly committed towards improving the inclusivity in the implementation of the project in the state,” Abdu-Gusau said.
She commended Gov. Dauda Lawal for his kind support towards the success of the project, following his declaration of emergency on the state’s education sector.
She also promised the inclusion of all stakeholders, mainly NGOs, CSOs, development partners, and government organisations to ensure workable strategies for impressive project’s outcomes in the state.
The state project coordinator, who lauded the collaboration of JONAPWD, solicited more support towards the success of the project in the state.
Earlier, the state Chairman of JONAPWD, Dr Bilyaminu Umar, commended the state AGILE team for ensuring more inclusion of people with special needs.
Umar said that the unfortunate neglection of people with special needs in society made their lives more unpleasant.
“We appreciate the AGILE team in the state for inclusive and equitable implementation of the project and promise our support for the effective implementation by engaging and enlightening our members.
“Now our members are more aware of the enrollment, re-enrollment, retention and completion of secondary school education,” he said. (NAN)
