Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, has emphasized the critical role of girl-child education in driving national transformation and sustainable development.
Speaking at the 2025 International Day of the Girl-Child celebration held in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Friday, Adeleye urged development partners, traditional rulers, and religious leaders to collaborate with government at all levels in ensuring girls have access to quality and technological education.
This year’s theme, “The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead: Girls on the Frontlines of Crisis,” aligns with the Ministry’s ongoing programmes to empower young girls as agents of change, she said.
Adeleye reaffirmed the commitment of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration to promoting girl-child education, protection, and empowerment. She disclosed that through a World Bank-assisted initiative, the state had awarded technical scholarships to 1,000 girls under the TVET Scholarship Programme, enabling them to pursue technical education and acquire vital skills.
“As a Ministry, we remain firmly committed to investing in girls’ education and leadership, protecting them from all forms of violence and exploitation, and ensuring their voices influence decision-making at every level,” she stated.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mariam Oloko—represented by the Director of Education, Dr. Akinola Okereafor—described the girl-child as uniquely positioned to contribute to social change and urged girls to pursue knowledge and leadership opportunities.
In a goodwill message, the Prevention Team Lead of the Ogun State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA), Mrs. Olayinka Adejobi, sensitized participants on HIV/AIDS prevention, advising them to avoid risky behaviours and remain focused on their personal development.
The Ogun State Branch Controller of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Dr. Ayobami Suberu, encouraged the participants to embrace digital literacy, noting that technology has become integral to modern assessment systems.
He added that Ogun State recorded zero cases of examination malpractice during the 2024 and 2025 WAEC GCE Computer-Based Tests, crediting the achievement to the adoption of technology in examination management.
