By Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe
The Gombe State Government has launched the second phase of scholarship distribution to more than 20,000 girls under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project as part of efforts to promote girls’ education and tackle child marriage.
The initiative was announced on Thursday during the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child celebration at Government Day Senior Secondary School, Gombe, where stakeholders called for stronger action to protect girls’ rights and expand their access to education.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Beta Danja, urged parents, traditional rulers, government agencies and community leaders to work together to end child marriage and other harmful practices threatening the future of adolescent girls.
Danja, who was represented by Mrs Bathsheba Samuel, identified child marriage, teenage pregnancy, gender-based violence and limited access to education as major challenges confronting girls.
She said every girl deserved the opportunity to acquire an education, develop her abilities and pursue her ambitions without being forced into early marriage or exposed to abuse.
The commissioner stressed that investing in girls’ education would improve their individual prospects, strengthen families and contribute to the overall development of Gombe State.
She reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to programmes designed to protect girls’ rights, expand educational opportunities and promote their social and economic empowerment.
Danja also called on parents and guardians to ensure that their daughters remained in school until they completed their education, warning that poverty, harmful cultural practices and societal expectations should not prevent girls from achieving their potential.
The AGILE Project Coordinator in Gombe State, Dr Amina Haruna Abdul, said the second phase of the scholarship scheme followed an initial cohort of about 12,000 girls, with preparations underway for a third phase expected to benefit another 30,000.
She explained that the intervention was designed to ease the financial burden on families, improve school enrolment and attendance, and encourage girls to complete their secondary education.
“Girls should enrol in secondary school, remain in school and complete their secondary education,” Abdul said.
She noted that keeping girls in school would prepare them for higher education, employment and informed decisions about their lives.
The coordinator warned that child marriage and teenage pregnancy could expose girls to serious health complications, including obstetric fistula, while disrupting their education and limiting their opportunities for economic independence.
According to her, completing secondary education would also equip girls with essential knowledge about health, nutrition and childcare, while improving their prospects of securing employment or acquiring vocational skills.
Abdul urged the beneficiaries to take their studies seriously and make effective use of the scholarship opportunities, emphasising that parental support remained essential to the success of the programme.
The Principal of Government Science Secondary School, Alhaji Saidu Sabo, commended the state government and the AGILE Project for the intervention, saying it would help students from financially disadvantaged families continue their education.
He said assistance with educational expenses would reduce the burden on parents and encourage students to remain in school.
Also speaking, the Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Gombe State, Barrister Talatu Abubakar, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to protecting the rights of women and children, particularly vulnerable girls.
She said FIDA would continue to educate women and girls about their rights and support efforts to ensure that victims of abuse and other rights violations received appropriate protection.
Abubakar called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, civil society organisations and communities to prevent abuse, exploitation and other harmful practices affecting girls.
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually on October 11 to promote girls’ rights and draw attention to challenges affecting their education, safety and development. The 2026 celebration in Gombe highlighted the importance of education, financial support and collective action in building a safer and more promising future for girls.
