The Kwara State Government has begun mobilising School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs) to oversee the renovation of public secondary schools, aiming to upgrade at least 898 institutions under the World Bank-supported Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project.

The announcement was made at a high-level sensitisation meeting in Ilorin on Tuesday, where stakeholders were briefed on the implementation strategy ahead of the planned infrastructure upgrades.

Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, said the initiative is part of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s broader education reform agenda.

“This intervention reflects the administration’s sustained commitment to transforming learning environments and expanding access to quality education across Kwara State,” Olohungbebe said.

He noted that Technical Service Providers have already been deployed to work with SBMCs in 111 pilot schools, with 50 per cent of the total contract sum released to kick-start work.

According to the commissioner, 56.7 per cent of the pilot schools fall under the small grants category, while 43.2 per cent are under the medium grants category.

The first phase of the project covers 24 schools in Asa, 25 in Ilorin West, 10 in Offa, 16 in Oyun, and 18 each in Ilorin East and Ilorin South local government areas.

Olohungbebe said this phase would serve as a benchmark for subsequent expansion across public secondary schools in the state, assuring that more schools would be included in future phases.

The AGILE Project, supported by the World Bank and other development partners, is central to Kwara State’s strategy to improve educational infrastructure and learning outcomes, with a particular focus on adolescent girls.

Officials emphasized that the programme aims not only to renovate school facilities but also to enhance teaching and learning conditions across the state.