The Plateau State Government has awarded contracts for the construction of 55 new secondary schools across the state.

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang disclosed this when he signed the contract documents in Jos, the state capital, on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.

Mutfwang said the move was part of his commitment to overhauling and improving the education sector.

The governor noted that the projects would be implemented in conjunction with the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), funded by the World Bank.

Mutfwang stressed that the projects were designed to particularly empower the girl child, noting that the education of women was key to the development of Plateau State.

He said: “These projects, involving the construction of 35 Junior and 20 senior secondary schools, are being implemented under the AGILE project, funded by the World Bank.

“They are a crucial investment in improving the learning environment for our children in the state.

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“We will ensure that they meet the highest standards; our supervising mechanisms will be top-notch because we want to set a precedent with this initiative.

“We will do this so that when the World Bank team comes for evaluation, we will not be found wanting.”

The governor, who disclosed that the projects would be funded through loans, urged the contractors to strictly adhere to set specifications.

Mutfwang said anyone found not doing what was expected of him would be sanctioned.

Speaking, the Plateau State Commissioner for Secondary Education, Mohammed Nyalun, thanked the World Bank and the federal government for supporting education in the state.

According to him, the initiative is crucial to ensuring that every child in Plateau State accesses quality education via a conducive learning environment.

On his part, the Project Coordinator of AGILE in Plateau State, Shirinkpo Maina, said the projects would lay the groundwork for inclusive and quality education that would be accessible to every child, regardless of background.

The Star