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Kaduna Stakeholders Push for Life Skills Education to Be Embedded in Girls’ Schooling
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By Gloria Ikibah
Key actors in Kaduna State have renewed calls for life skills education to be formally embedded within the education system as part of wider efforts to improve learning outcomes, safeguard adolescent girls and better prepare them for life beyond the classroom.
The call was made during a one-day follow-up meeting of critical stakeholders on the strategic institutionalisation of life skills under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, held on Thursday, in Abuja.
Participants at the meeting stressed that equipping girls with practical life skills is essential not only for academic success, but also for building confidence, resilience and informed decision-making during adolescence.
The meeting brought together education leaders, legislature, development partners and civil society actors, all of whom underscored the need for coordinated action to translate policy discussions into measurable impact within schools and communities across Kaduna State.
Speaking to journalists at the event, the Executive Director of the Centre for Girls’ Education, Habiba Mohammed, described the engagement as a turning point in the approach to girls’ education.
She explained that the focus was shifting away from short-term pilot programmes towards lasting reforms that embed life skills into education policy and practice.
According to her, institutionalising life skills education would help ensure sustainability, consistency and wider reach, allowing more girls to benefit regardless of location or background. She added that such an approach would strengthen existing education frameworks while responding more effectively to the social and developmental challenges faced by adolescent girls.
She said: “What we have concluded today is not just another meeting, it marks a clear transition from project-based experimentation to system-level reform in how we prepare young people, especially girls, for life beyond the classroom”.
Mohammed explained that for more than 18 years, the Centre for Girls’ Education has worked across northern Nigeria and parts of West Africa to ensure that schooling goes beyond academics and equips girls with practical skills, confidence and a sense of agency.
Açcording to her, over this period, the organisation’s Safe Space model — which combines life skills, literacy, numeracy, health education and leadership development — has consistently produced positive and measurable outcomes.
She added that findings from programmes such as the World Bank–supported AGILE initiative and the UNFPA-backed Adolescent Girls Initiative point to higher school retention rates, delayed early marriage, improved decision-making among girls and stronger, more supportive relationships between schools and their surrounding communities.
She also revealed that deliberations at the meeting included progress updates on a draft bill aimed at formally embedding life skills as a co-curricular subject in public secondary schools across Kaduna State. She described the proposal as a significant step with long-term implications for girls’ education, protection and overall life prospects.
“Life skills are not ‘soft outcomes.’ They are foundational capabilities that protect learning, dignity and future opportunity,” she said.
She added that stakeholders also deliberated on a clear institutional framework for embedding life skills education, including policy and legal integration, curriculum adoption, dedicated budget lines and defined governance roles for the Ministry of Education, SUBEB, the Senior Secondary Schools Education Board and the Kaduna State School Quality Assurance Authority.
The Chairman House Committee on Education, Kaduna State House of Assembly, Hon. Mahmud Lawal, said that the legislature would work towards ensuring the bill becomes law.
Hon. Lawal, who is also the Deputy Chief Whip of KSHA, assured that lawmakers will ensure the bill clearly addresses its objectives, and void duplication of existing laws and implemented when passed.
“The bill is all about ensuring that our students are being protected and are given quality education in terms of life skills. That is the essence of the bill,” he said.
The project coordinator AGILE, Kaduna State, Maryam Sani Dangaji, said it is a World Bank–assisted programme, which operates in 21 states, has invested heavily in life skills education for adolescent girls over the past two to three years.
She explained that AGILE’s life skills component focused on areas such as personal hygiene, health, leadership, self-agency, confidence and the value of education – skills not typically taught in conventional classrooms.
“We don’t want the efforts to be wasted as the project is about to close. That is why we want the state government to sustain this huge investment by making life skills part of the state’s curricular activities as a non-examinable subject,” she said.
She explained that embedding life skills into the education system would only work with the support of a wide range of stakeholders, including religious leaders, parents, community organisations and relevant government ministries.
Dangaji noted that their involvement, was key to preventing pushback and ensuring the programme was introduced without difficulty.
The Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Professor Abubakar Sani Sambo, however disclosed that more than 40,000 adolescent girls across the state has already benefited from a structured life skills education programme.
He said the initiative was now being expanded under Governor Uba Sani’s administration, with plans to integrate it into all public secondary schools in the state.
According to the state government, the programme forms part of broader efforts to promote girl-child education while also providing students with practical, real-world skills that go beyond the traditional classroom curriculum.
By Gloria Ikibah
Proceedings grew animated during debate on a motion by Rep. Jimi Benson seeking a precise definition of “cognate legislative experience” in the House Standing Orders.
Presenting the motion, Benson said the aim was to strengthen institutional memory and ensure experienced leadership within the chamber.
“The House notes that Order 7, Rule 15… states that only members with cognate legislative experience as members of the House of Representatives shall be eligible for appointment as principal officers of the House,” he said.
He added that global parliamentary best practice supported reserving principal offices for seasoned lawmakers to promote continuity and competence.
“The House resolves to define cognate legislative experience as meaning members who have completed at least one full four-year term.
“Resolves to state unequivocally that there is no other definition to the term cognate legislative experience other than as stated”, he stated.
While the motion was seconded and adopted by voice vote, some members raised concerns about its necessity.
Rising on a point of order, Rep. Bob Solomon argued: “Order 7, Rule 1, Sub-Rule 10 has already conferred on you the power to interpret the rules. You are there as an arbiter. This motion is totally redundant.
“What it means is that we are amending our rules for you to be able to exercise that power… You are in the position of a judge, an arbiter. What you say about the rules is final.”
In response, the Speaker maintained that once a question had been put and decided, it could not be revisited.
“After hitting the gavel, we cannot revisit any issue that has already been put to question,” he ruled, drawing the matter to a close.
With the day’s agenda concluded, the House adjourned after setting in motion legislative processes that could reshape price regulation, military pensions, and internal parliamentary governance.
By Gloria Ikibah
Binani Air has marked its first 30 days of commercial operations, describing the milestone as a significant step in a journey built on vision, resilience and a commitment to transforming air travel in Nigeria.
The airline, which commenced commercial flights a month ago, in a statement said its early operations have been characterised by positive passenger feedback, successful flight schedules and growing confidence among industry stakeholders.
Reflecting on the airline’s first month, Group President Aminatu Dahiru Chiroma said the experience had been both rewarding and humbling.
According to her, while passengers often see only the take-off and landing of aircraft, every successful flight is backed by years of preparation, training, regulatory compliance and strategic planning.
She said: “The first 30 days have been both humbling and inspiring.
“What people do not see are the countless hours of training for their engagement, operational readiness, certification processes, and strategic planning that make each flight possible. For us, these 30 days represent much more than flights operated. They represent the fulfillment of a vision conceived long before the first aircraft left the runway.”
She noted that the encouraging response from travellers, aviation partners and industry observers has reinforced confidence in its long-term objectives.
For Chiroma, however, the most memorable aspect of the airline’s first month has been the personal stories behind the passengers it serves.
Recalling the airline’s inaugural flight, she described the moment as deeply emotional, and that the experience highlighted the broader role aviation plays in connecting families, businesses and opportunities.
“There is something deeply moving about seeing people board an aircraft carrying not just luggage, but expectations, aspiration, and trust.
“Aircraft transport passengers physically, but what they truly carry are dreams, relationships, and opportunities”, she added.
Binani Air entered one of Nigeria’s most demanding industries after securing its Air Operator Certificate from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority on 18 March 2026.
Chiroma acknowledged the enormous challenges involved in establishing an airline, particularly in a highly regulated sector where operational standards must be met without compromise.
Rather than viewing those requirements as obstacles, she said the airline embraced them as the foundation for long-term success.
“There were obligatory requirements, operational certifications, personnel training, infrastructure readiness, technical preparations, and extensive stakeholder engagement.
“Our philosophy has always been simple: build carefully, build responsibly, and build for the long term”, she stated.
The Group President also paid tribute to the founder Senator Aishatu Dahiru Binani, whom she credited with providing the vision and determination that brought the project to fruition.
“Building an airline anywhere in the world is a formidable undertaking. Building one in Nigeria requires an even greater measure of resilience, foresight, and commitment.
“From the earliest days of this journey, she demonstrated unwavering belief in the possibilities of creating an airline that will not only compete, but also contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s aviation sector.
“We could never have come this far without his prayers, advice, and encouragement. At every stage of the work, we see the fruits of his prayers and remain grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of being his children.
“What excites us most is seeing passengers become ambassadors for the brand. They are sharing their experiences with friends, family members, and colleagues. That kind of endorsement cannot be purchased. It is earned through service.
“We are building an airline that places people at the center of every decision.
“We are not merely selling tickets, we are creating experiences built on trust, reliability, and genuine care for our customers”, Chiroma emphasised.
Reflecting on lessons from the first month, she said the experience had reinforced the importance of teamwork and shared purpose.
As the airline looks beyond its first month of operations, management says it remains focused on consolidating its gains while laying the foundation for future growth.
A fire erupted on Wednesday in the Senate wing of the National Assembly complex in Abuja, prompting immediate concern and response from lawmakers and staff on the premises.
In a Footage circulating on social media, including from Africa Independent Television (AIT), shows thick smoke billowing from a room as senators and other personnel gathered nearby.
The video also captures hazy conditions inside adjacent areas, including what appears to be a pantry or kitchen space with chairs stacked and smoke visible.
According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred in a section of the Senate wing. Senators were described as being actively involved in efforts to put out the fire. No immediate reports of casualties have emerged, and those present appear to have evacuated or moved to safer areas within the complex.
Sparks Over ‘Cognate Legislative Experience’
Binani Air Celebrates First Month in the Skies, Eyes Bigger Future
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