The Chairman of the Kaduna State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Mahmud Ismaila, has assured stakeholders of lawmakers’ commitment to fast-track a draft bill aimed at protecting the girl-child and embedding Life Skills education across public secondary schools in the state.
Ismaila gave the assurance at a one-day follow-up critical stakeholders’ meeting on the strategic institutionalisation of Life Skills under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project, organised by the Centre for Girls’ Education (CGE) in collaboration with the Kaduna State Government in Abuja.
The meeting focused on policy reforms and legislative actions, including updates on the proposed bill seeking to make Life Skills a co-curricular, non-examinable subject in Kaduna’s public secondary schools.
“The essence of this bill is to protect our children and ensure quality education through Life Skills,” Ismaila said, stressing that the House would ensure the law is implementable, avoids duplication, and clearly delivers its intended objectives.
He added that the Assembly had already advised the Ministry of Education to set up a technical committee to refine the draft bill and develop an interim policy framework ahead of its passage into law.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director of the Centre for Girls’ Education, Habiba Mohammed, described the process as a major shift from short-term projects to long-term system reform.
“What we are seeing today is a shift from project-based experimentation to long-term system reform,” she said. “Evidence from multiple programmes shows Life Skills education improves school retention, strengthens decision-making among girls, delays harmful practices, and improves relationships between schools, families, and communities.”
Mohammed noted that CGE’s Safe Space model — which integrates life skills, literacy, numeracy, health education and mentorship — has been implemented for over 18 years across Northern Nigeria, producing consistent results in diverse communities.
Also speaking, Kaduna State AGILE Project Coordinator, Maryam Dabgaji, said the push for institutionalisation was driven by the scale of investment already made under the World Bank-supported project and the need to sustain its impact beyond the project’s lifespan.
“The AGILE project is nearing closure, and a lot of investment has gone into Life Skills education. We want the state government to sustain this investment by making Life Skills part of the normal school system, so that it continues even after the project ends,” she said.
Dabgaji emphasised that broad stakeholder support — including from religious leaders, parents, legislators and budget authorities — was essential to prevent resistance and ensure successful implementation.
“Life Skills cannot be institutionalised by pronouncement alone. There must be policy backing, budget lines, trained teachers and mentors, and community understanding,” she added.
Permanent Secretary, Kaduna State Ministry of Information, Bashir Mohammed, said the initiative aligns with the state government’s commitment to inclusive governance and long-term peacebuilding.
He assured that the ministry would work closely with local governments and community structures to deepen awareness and public understanding of the reform.
“When Life Skills are integrated into education, the benefits are not only immediate; they extend decades into the future. A child who acquires skills early is less likely to depend on government jobs and more likely to contribute productively to society,” he said.
The meeting brought together lawmakers, education policymakers, religious and community leaders, civil society organisations and development partners, who reviewed progress on the draft bill and discussed pathways for embedding Life Skills education into existing state policies and budgets ahead of the AGILE project’s closure.