Olu Samuel

The Kogi State Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) and Participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development (PIBCID) have equipped 200 Facilitators, Education Management Information System (EMIS) Officers, and Area Officers with enhanced skills to improve learning outcomes and service delivery in non-formal education sectors and vocational centres.

The training, held successively in Dekina and Adavi Local Government Areas, focused on addressing gaps in data management, instructional delivery, and programme implementation.

Speaking in Adavi on Saturday, the AGILE State Project Coordinator (SPC), Alh. Ahmed Tijani Oricha, described the initiative as a strategic intervention aimed at boosting AGILE’s effectiveness in Kogi.

“Building the capacity of facilitators and officers remains critical to achieving sustainable outcomes, particularly in advancing non-formal education for adolescent girls,,” he said.

Oricha emphasized that accurate data collection and reporting are key to development programme success, and strengthening EMIS officers’ capacity would improve accountability and support evidence-based planning.

He praised the AGILE-PIBCID collaboration, noting that such partnerships drive impactful, community-driven interventions.

The SPC urged participants to leverage the training to improve quality education access, particularly in underserved communities.

Sub-Component Lead, Hajia Mariam Bello, highlighted the need for continuous capacity building, stating, “Continuous capacity building is essential in equipping facilitators to meet the diverse learning needs within their communities.”

She also underscored the role of EMIS officers in ensuring accurate data collection, adding that quality data is indispensable for effective planning and decision-making.

PIBCID’s Executive Director, Rachael Akande, highlighted the training’s significance, saying it would have a lasting impact on beneficiaries.

She noted that strengthening facilitators’ and officers’ capacity is key to achieving the project’s objectives, enabling them to deliver quality education and drive community development.

Participants praised the training as insightful and impactful, citing improved understanding of data collection, enhanced teaching strategies, and better coordination as key takeaways.

They pledged to apply the knowledge gained and committed to improving learning outcomes, realizing AGILE’s objectives at the grassroots level.

The training featured Code of Conduct signing, breakout sessions, evaluation forms, and discussions on translating primers into local languages, with life skills and vocational studies upcoming.