Nigeria has taken a major step towards expanding access to education for vulnerable girls with the commissioning of the country’s first Alternative Secondary School for Girls in Lagos.
The school, located on Old Ojo Road, Agboju, Amuwo-Odofin, was commissioned on Friday, August 14, by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, who was represented at the ceremony by the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettima.
The initiative is designed to provide a second chance at secondary education for girls whose schooling has been interrupted by social, economic or personal circumstances.
Speaking through her representative, the First Lady said the initiative reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities for Nigerian girls. She commended the Lagos State Government for complementing federal efforts and proposed that at least one alternative secondary school for girls be established in each senatorial district.
Addressing the beneficiaries, Tinubu urged them to approach the opportunity with dedication and resilience.
“You can achieve what you want with dedication and resilience,” she told the students.
She described the school as a platform for the girls to rebuild their dreams while acquiring the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to pursue further education and participate meaningfully in society.
‘Every girl deserves a second chance’
The First Lady of Lagos State, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, described the project as an intervention for girls whose education had been disrupted through circumstances beyond their control.
“No girl should be written off because life interrupted her education,” she said, stressing that “every girl deserves a second chance.”
According to her, the initiative had restored hope and dignity to girls who might otherwise have believed that their educational aspirations were over.
She added that the Renewed Hope School initiative had extended the alternative-school model to the six geopolitical zones and assured stakeholders that Lagos State would continue to sustain the programme.
“Education and technology remain central pillars in our administration, and we will ensure that the school is sustained in all manners,” she said.
Sanwo-Olu also commended the Federal Government, the Lagos State Government, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, education officials and other partners for their contributions to the project.
‘Your story is not over’
The Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, described the school as a bold response to the realities confronting girls whose education had been interrupted.
He said the alternative pathway would enable beneficiaries to return to formal education, acquire relevant knowledge and practical skills, regain confidence and prepare for further education, entrepreneurship and economic participation.
Addressing the students, Alli-Balogun said:
“Our dear students, this school tells you that your story is not over. A setback is not the end.”
He urged them to approach their studies with discipline and hard work, assuring them that the government and other stakeholders believed in their potential.
Second school coming in Ikorodu
The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr Aisha Garba, said the initiative demonstrated that a child’s circumstances should not determine his or her future.
Garba commended the First Lady of Nigeria for her commitment to improving opportunities for Nigerian children.
She disclosed that a second Alternative Secondary School for Girls in Ikorodu would soon be commissioned as part of broader federal reforms and initiatives targeting alternative education for girls.
The ceremony attracted government officials, education stakeholders, traditional rulers, development partners, parents and members of the host community.
Among those who attended were the Ovori of Ibeshe Land, HRH Oba (Dr) Gausu Alani Rasaki; Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, Hakeem Shittu; and the Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary of Education District V, Dauda Abiodun Hassan.
The dignitaries emphasised that giving girls another opportunity to complete their education could help reduce educational exclusion while strengthening economic empowerment and social development.
The commissioning also featured the presentation of gifts to outstanding students of the school in recognition of their achievements in various skills and crafts.
The new institution is expected to serve as an important pathway for girls who have been excluded from conventional secondary education, offering them an opportunity to resume learning, develop employable skills and pursue further academic and economic opportunities.
The initiative therefore represents more than the opening of another school: it is an attempt to institutionalise a second chance for girls whose educational journeys have been interrupted.
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