The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Dr. Aisha Garba, has declared that no girl who drops out of school should be regarded as a lost cause, as she commissioned the rehabilitated Alternative High School for Girls in Agboju, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State.
At the event held on Saturday, 15th August 2026, Dr. Garba described the facility as a second-chance pathway for girls and young women whose education has been interrupted by early pregnancy, socio-economic challenges or other circumstances.
“A girl who drops out of school should not be regarded as a lost cause. A young mother who wants to return to school should not be told that her time has passed. A girl whose circumstances prevented her from completing her education should be given an alternative opportunity to return to education,” she said.
She explained that the school gives beneficiaries the opportunity to return to learning, complete their education, acquire useful vocational skills and build productive and fulfilling futures.
Garba, in a statement by Ikharo Attah, Special Adviser, Media and Communications, UBEC, also traced the vision behind the school to 2007, during Senator Oluremi Tinubu’s tenure as First Lady of Lagos State, and commended her sustained commitment to girls’ education and empowerment.
She said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places education and human capital development among national priorities.
She reaffirmed UBEC’s commitment to working with state governments and stakeholders to expand alternative education, improve learning environments and strengthen skills acquisition programmes for girls and young women across Nigeria.
“The Commission will continue to create pathways for children and young people whose education has been disrupted to return to learning, acquire relevant skills and contribute meaningfully to national development, because every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and fulfil their potential,” Garba said.
Representing the First Lady at the event, the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, described the education of the girl child as paramount to nation building.
She urged the students to remain focused and resilient, stressing that their past experiences should not define their future.
The wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who represented the Governor, said the rehabilitation had restored dignity and opened new possibilities for beneficiaries, noting that “educating a girl strengthens not only the individual but also the family, community and nation.”
