Abdulrazaq advocates access quality education

The First Lady of Kwara State, Ambassador Olufolake AbdulRasaq, has urged equal access to quality education for every child, irrespective of socio-economic background.

AbdulRasaq made the appeal at a lecture organised by the Havilah Foundation in collaboration with Chidimma. titled: “The Need for Girl-Child Education.”

The event, held at Tanke Secondary School Ilorin, saw the distribution of educational materials including school bags, exercise books, mathematical sets, and uniforms to 700 students across 14 public schools.

Represented by the Commissioner for Solid Minerals, Dr. Afeez Abolore Alabi, Mrs. AbdulRasaq emphasised the importance of education in line with Kwara State’s 10-year Strategic Development Plan and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

She appreciated her gratitude to the organisers for their dedication to education and their support for underprivileged students.

Also, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Rebecca Bake, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that every child counts in its education policy.

She urged the beneficiaries to make good use of the materials, avoid distractions, and focus on their academic goals.

Similarly, the Secretary of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs. Adebisi Omolara Gloria, encouraged female students to take their education seriously and compete effectively with their male counterparts.

The Education Secretary for Ilorin South Local Government, Mr. Ibrahim Saka, highlighted the need to empower women through quality education to help them achieve their full potential.

In his speech, CHIDIMMA and HAVILAH FOUNDATION’s National Technical Lead, Tiwatope Olumide, expressed the organization’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Kwara State Government’s ten-year development plan aimed at improving access to quality social services across the state.
Olumide harped on the pressing need to address issues of gender equity and access to education, particularly for the girl child.

Drawing insights from the most recent school census and baseline data, he noted the urgent gaps in gender and educational equity.

To bridge these gaps, he said the foundation is collaborating with Seed of Praise, with the support of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Kwara State Ministry of Education, to implement strategies that ensure equal access to education for girls.