The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has commissioned the rehabilitated First Alternative High School for Girls in Agboju, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos State, to provide girls whose education was interrupted by early pregnancy, economic hardship and other socio-economic challenges with an opportunity to return to school, complete their secondary education and acquire vocational skills.

The school was established in 2007 during Senator Tinubu’s tenure as First Lady of Lagos State to provide a second chance for girls whose education had been interrupted by various circumstances.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Friday in Agboju, Oriade LCDA, Senator Tinubu, who spoke through the wife of the Vice President, Hana Shettima, said no girl or woman should be denied the opportunity to realise her full potential because of life’s challenges.

She commended the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) for rehabilitating and equipping the school, describing the initiative as an important investment in the education and empowerment of girls.

Tinubu noted that her Renewed Hope Initiative had expanded the alternative high school model to the six geopolitical zones of the country.

According to her, the plan is to establish at least one alternative high school for girls in each of Lagos State’s three senatorial districts.

She said Lagos West and Lagos East currently have alternative high schools, while Lagos Central remains the only senatorial district without one.

The First Lady therefore urged the Lagos State Government to establish another school in Lagos Central and ensure the proper maintenance and smooth operation of all the facilities.

“Let your passion define your future with determination, discipline and hard work. You can achieve your dreams and become positive contributors to our nation’s development,” she told the students.

She also appreciated Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, for their support and commitment to advancing education in the State.

Governor Sanwo-Olu who spoke through the Lagos State First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, described the commissioning as more than the unveiling of a renovated school, saying it represented the restoration of opportunities and the rewriting of the destinies of young women.

She recalled that the school was established nearly two decades ago following Senator Tinubu’s vision that no girl should be written off because circumstances had interrupted her education.

According to her, the institution had since helped many young women return to senior secondary education and acquire skills and values for productive lives.

“Lives redeemed, futures rewritten. That is the true measure of this school,” she said.

Dr. Sanwo-Olu said the Lagos State Government, under its THEMES Plus agenda, had continued to prioritise education and technology through investments in classrooms, scholarships, digital skills and safe and inclusive learning environments.

She assured that the state would maintain the rehabilitated facility and sustain its mission as a centre for second chances.

She urged the students not to allow their past circumstances to define their future, encouraging them to study hard, dream boldly and use their opportunities to positively impact others.

She also disclosed that empowerment items had been presented to some students who had graduated from various vocational sections, including catering, make-up and cosmetology.

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, described the project as a celebration of restored opportunities and a renewed future for girls who had experienced interruptions in their education.

He urged the students to remain disciplined and determined, stressing that their circumstances might explain where they came from but should not determine where they were going.

He said the state government remained committed to ensuring that every girl had access to quality, inclusive and relevant education regardless of her background.

The Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB), Dr. Hakeem Deshittu, said the initiative, which began in 2007, had given hope to many girls who could not continue their education.

He pledged that the state would preserve the school and ensure that it continued to serve its intended purpose.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Aisha Garba, said the commissioning was about giving girls another opportunity to learn, dream and build better futures for themselves and their communities.

She said the alternative school was founded on the principle that a girl who dropped out of school should not be regarded as a lost cause, adding that young mothers and girls whose education had been interrupted should be given another opportunity to continue their studies.

Garba said the rehabilitation included infrastructure upgrades, academic facilities, furniture for teachers and students, skills-development tools, laboratory equipment, computer laboratories, water and sanitation facilities, as well as general environmental improvements.

She urged the Lagos State Government to sustain and properly manage the facilities so that the school could continue serving the girls for whom it was established.

The UBEC Executive Secretary also disclosed that the second Alternative High School for Girls in Ikorodu was at an advanced stage of completion and would soon be commissioned.

She said the Federal Government remained committed to improving the quality of education, expanding access, reducing the number of out-of-school children and ensuring that no child was left behind.

The ceremony was attended by education officials, government representatives, traditional leaders, teachers, students and other stakeholders.