Daily Chronicle
Connected Development (CODE), with support from the Malala Fund, has intensified efforts to complement girl-child education in Bauchi State by equipping schoolgirls with practical entrepreneurship and leadership skills for self-reliance.
The organisation said its Girl-Child Education Project has significantly expanded its mentorship programme, increasing participation from four girls per mentor to about 40 girls across four local government areas, thereby improving school retention and confidence among beneficiaries.
Speaking during a capacity-building training and the unveiling of the project’s second-year curriculum in Bauchi, Acting Chief Executive Officer of CODE, Hyeladzira James Mshelia, said the initiative goes beyond promoting school enrolment by preparing girls with life skills, leadership qualities and entrepreneurial knowledge needed to thrive beyond the classroom.
The Bauchi State Government also reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the programme through institutional support. Deputy Director of Budget, Hajiya Aisha Adamu Hussaini, disclosed that the Ministries of Budget and Education are collaborating to incorporate CODE’s interventions into the state’s budget framework to ensure continuity of development support for girl-child education.
The project also received support from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which pledged to strengthen the protection of girls against trafficking, abuse and gender-based violence.
Stakeholders said the revised curriculum would further enhance entrepreneurship, mentorship and leadership development, empowering girls to pursue higher education while acquiring skills that will enable them to become economically independent and productive members of society.