Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has reiterated that no girl deserves to be left behind in getting educated as a result of mistakes or errors of their past, but should rather be given the opportunity to realise their dreams in life.
At the commissioning of the Alternative High School for Girls in Bauchi State, Mrs. Tinubu noted that she envisioned the school type while she was still First Lady of Lagos State, which culminated in the establishment of such in the state.
She said that, although girls may drop out of school due to early marriage, pregnancy, lack of financial support and trafficking, among other factors, the Alternative High School for Girls is a means for them to right the wrongs in their lives.
In commissioning the ICT centre named after the first female President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, the First Lady said: “In our quest for national development, we must recognize the indispensable role of technology in advancing gender equity. By ensuring our women’s full participation in the digital revolution, through access to technology, we can unlock the potential that will enable them contribute meaningfully to economic growth, innovation, and social progress towards our nation’s greater prosperity.
“The newly built and fully furnished ICT Community Centre here in Bauchi is a collaborative effort between the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) and NITDA (National Information Technology Development Agency) to provide access to technology for underserved women and girls. The formal opening of these centres marks a strategic step towards setting the path for Nigerian women and girls to participate and thrive in the digital revolution and further demonstrates the commitment of the administration of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR at ensuring equitable access to opportunities across the country”.
The state governor, Senator Bala Mohammed announced that the first set of enrollees would be given full scholarship.
The handover of the ICT centre built by NITDA, in collaboration with RHI under its Social Investment Programme, also took place simultaneously in five other locations – Jigawa, Ebonyi, Cross River, Oyo and Niger States; and the Federal Capital Territory.
The First Lady also performed the empowerment ceremony of 600 vulnerable persons in the state comprising orphans, widows and Persons with Disabilities on behalf of the state government. They were given various food items and cash of N50,000 each which was provided by the state governor.
She had earlier paid a visit to the Emir of Bauchi where she was received by the monarch and other members of the state traditional council.
