The Kaduna State Government says it has commenced the distribution of the World Bank’s $21.6 million school improvement grant and scholarships for female teachers and girls in the state.

According to the Executive Chairman of the Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board, Nasiru Umar, the fund is being distributed under the Global Partnership for Education and Nigerian Partnership for Education Project. He said the World Bank intervention aims to improve access to quality basic education for out-of-school children particularly girls.

Umar said so far, a total of 8,050 primary 1-3 girls from poor communities across the state have been selected to benefit from the grants. The girls will get N45, 000 ($130) each under the girl-child scholarship. The project would keep the girls in school till they reach Junior Secondary School. He further explained that 1,047 female teachers will receive N45, 000 each under the female teacher scholarship while 4,500 Nursery, Primary and Islamiya schools will get N400, 000 ($1.156) each to improve school infrastructure.

This new development comes after the Kaduna State Government in June said it has spent $18.8 million on infrastructural development in schools in the Southern Kaduna Senatorial District.

It should be recalled that the World Bank recently expressed interest in granting a $500 million loan to Nigeria to enable the country reduce the rate of out-of-school children, particularly in the north.

Anita Fatunji