The Kwara State Government has begun mobilising School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) to oversee the renovation of public secondary schools across the state, with plans to upgrade no fewer than 898 institutions under the World Bank-supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project.
The development was unveiled at a high-level sensitisation meeting held in Ilorin on Tuesday, where key stakeholders were briefed on the implementation strategy ahead of the infrastructure upgrades.
Leading the engagement, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, said the initiative is in line with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s broader education reform agenda.
“This intervention reflects the administration’s sustained commitment to transforming learning environments and expanding access to quality education across Kwara State,” he said.
Olohungbebe disclosed that Technical Service Providers have already been deployed to collaborate with SBMCs in 111 pilot schools selected for the first phase of the project. He added that 50 per cent of the total contract sum has been released to enable contractors to commence work without delay.
According to him, 56.7 per cent of the pilot schools fall under the small grants category, while 43.2 per cent are categorised under medium grants, based on the scale of work required.
The first phase of the project spans several local government areas, including 24 schools in Asa, 25 in Ilorin West, 10 in Offa, 16 in Oyun, and 18 schools each in Ilorin East and Ilorin South.
Olohungbebe noted that the initial phase would serve as a benchmark for the wider rollout of the programme across the state.
“This phase will serve as a benchmark for subsequent expansion across public secondary schools in the state,” he said, assuring that more schools would benefit in future phases.
The AGILE Project, supported by the World Bank and other development partners, remains a key component of Kwara State’s strategy to enhance educational infrastructure and improve learning outcomes, with particular emphasis on empowering adolescent girls.