Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has expressed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to placing the Nigerian child at the heart of national development.
Alausa stressed that investing in the education, welfare and empowerment of girls is critical to building a prosperous nation.
The minister stated this on Monday in Abuja, at the national flag-off of the distribution of two million packs of sanitary towels and back-to-school materials to girls in public basic education schools across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, performed the flag-off ceremony which held at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, under the initiative “Flow with Confidence 2.0: Keeping Every Girl in School,” to mark the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.
A statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister, Mr. Ikharo Attah, said the Minister commended Tinubu for prioritising the Nigerian child through the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He noted that providing children with access to quality education and the support they need to thrive is essential to developing future leaders, teachers, manufacturers and responsible citizens.
He described the education and empowerment of girls as an investment in Nigeria’s future, emphasising that addressing barriers to school attendance and learning would help ensure that girls have the opportunity to develop their abilities, fulfil their aspirations and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Alausa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s resolve to strengthen access to quality education and support initiatives that remove barriers to learning, stressing that collaboration among government institutions, families, communities and development partners remains essential to improving educational outcomes.
He assured that the Ministry would continue to support efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda to expand educational opportunities, promote learner retention and ensure that every Nigerian child, particularly girls facing barriers to education, has the opportunity to learn, grow and contribute to the country’s future.
In her remarks, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, said the “Flow with Confidence 2.0” initiative was designed to support girls’ dignity, menstrual health and continued participation in education by providing sanitary towels and essential learning materials.
She recalled that the Renewed Hope Initiative launched the original “Flow with Confidence” programme on October 2, 2025, providing a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls in rural communities.
Tinubu called for transparency and accountability in the implementation of the programme to ensure that the materials reach the intended beneficiaries.
She also urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents and community stakeholders to help address the stigma surrounding menstruation and create a supportive environment in which girls can remain in school, pursue their dreams and realise their full potential.
She further highlighted UBEC’s planned scholarship support under the Learners Retention Support Programme, with an initial target of 100,000 learners to receive grants of N20,000 each.
On her part, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, described the initiative as an important intervention to protect girls’ dignity and promote menstrual health and hygiene, stressing that menstruation should not become a barrier to school attendance, participation or achievement.
She encouraged girls to remain focused on their education, work hard and believe in their abilities, noting that their aspirations and future matter to the nation.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to improving access to quality basic education and keeping children in school through infrastructure development, provision of learning materials, teacher capacity development and improved water and sanitation facilities.
Garba highlighted ongoing efforts, including the construction of more than 4,000 classrooms in less than three years, the provision of back-to-school materials to over three million pupils in the preceding year, and collaboration with relevant agencies that has supported the return of 700,000 out-of-school children to education.
