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Stakeholders in Kaduna State’s education sector have intensified calls for the institutionalisation of Life Skills education as part of the state’s formal school curriculum, citing its long-term benefits for learning outcomes, social protection, and workforce readiness.
Speaking at a media briefing during a one-day critical stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, Habiba Mohammed, executive director, Centre for Girls’ Education (CGE), said discussions had moved beyond pilot programmes to system-wide reform aimed at embedding Life Skills permanently within the state’s education framework.
“What we are seeing today is a shift from project-based experimentation to long-term system reform. Evidence from multiple programmes shows Life Skills education improves school retention, strengthens decision-making among girls, delays harmful practices, and improves relationships between schools, families, and communities,” Mohammed said.
The meeting, held under the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, brought together state lawmakers, education policymakers, religious and community leaders, civil society groups, and development partners.
Participants reviewed progress on a draft bill seeking to make Life Skills a co-curricular, non-examinable subject across public secondary schools in Kaduna State, as well as pathways for embedding the programme into existing education policies and budgets ahead of the AGILE project’s closure.
Mohammed noted that CGE’s Safe Space model, which blends life skills, literacy, numeracy, health education and mentorship, has been implemented for over 18 years across Northern Nigeria, delivering consistent results across different communities.
Maryam Dabgaji, AGILE project coordinator for Kaduna State, said the push for institutionalisation was driven by the scale of investment already made under the World Bank-supported project and the need for sustainability beyond its lifespan.
“The AGILE project is nearing closure, and a lot of investment has gone into Life Skills education. We want the state government to sustain this investment by making Life Skills part of the normal school system, so that it continues even after the project ends,” Dabgaji said.
She explained that broad stakeholder buy-in, including from religious leaders, parents, legislators and budget authorities, was critical to avoiding community resistance and ensuring effective implementation.
“Life Skills cannot be institutionalised by pronouncement alone,” she said. “There must be policy backing, budget lines, trained teachers and mentors, and community understanding,” she explained.
In his remarks, Barrister Mahmud Ismaila, chairman, Kaduna State House of Assembly Committee on Education and deputy chief whip, assured stakeholders of the Assembly’s commitment to fast-tracking the draft bill.
“The essence of this bill is to protect our children and ensure quality education through Life Skills,” Ismaila said, noting that lawmakers would focus on ensuring the law is implementable, avoids duplication and clearly delivers its intended objectives.
He added that the Assembly had advised the Ministry of Education to establish a technical committee to refine the draft bill and develop an interim policy framework pending its passage into law.
Bashir Mohammed, permanent secretary at the Kaduna State Ministry of Information, said the initiative aligns with the state’s commitment to inclusive governance and long-term peacebuilding.
“When Life Skills are integrated into education, the benefits are not only immediate; they extend decades into the future. A child who acquires skills early is less likely to depend on government jobs and more likely to contribute productively to society,” Mohammed said.
According to him, the Ministry of Information will work with local governments and community structures to drive awareness and public understanding of the reform.
CGE officials explained that institutionalisation would involve formal adoption of the Life Skills curriculum, integration into teacher training programmes, creation of dedicated budget lines, and inclusion of Life Skills indicators within the state’s education monitoring systems.
