Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE), a World Bank-supported project, has offered educational support to an 11-year-old girl, Saratu Garba.
Agile’s Communication Officer, Aliyu Yusuf, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Kano.
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NAN reports that the report of Garba’s prowess in arithmetic and her ability to provide mathematical solutions went viral on social media platforms.
Sequel to the viral video clip, many people had marvelled at her prowess and ability to solve mathematical questions without using a calculator or formulas.
Yusuf, who is also the Deputy Director, Information, Kano State Ministry of Education, said the project’s national office directed its Kano office to identify the girl and enrol her in school.
He said, “Coincidentally, the Kano AGILE Project team is on an advocacy visit to the five emirate councils in the state with a view to soliciting for their support, being stakeholders in the promotion of adolescent girls’ education.
“During the team’s visit to Gaya Emirate, the girl and her parents were invited to the emir’s palace.
“Representative of the state’s Ministry of Education and the AGILE team briefed the Emir, Alhaji Ali Ibrahim-Abdulkadir, on the intention of the project to shoulder the educational responsibility of the girl.”
According to him, the representative of the ministry, Malam Haruna Muhammad-Panidau, presented a school uniform, a bag and other learning materials to the talented girl.
Yusuf said that the Kano Project Coordinator, Ado Tafida-Zango, also presented N20,000 to the girl to support her education.
Garba told a NAN correspondent who visited her hometown, Gwadahi village in Gaya LGA that she dropped out of school in Primary 4 after which she embraced hawking.
The girl said, “I am good in mathematics; whether addition, subtraction, division or multiplication. I can calculate numbers in millions without writing or using a calculator.
“I left school because of bullying. My peers used to call me names which I detested.
“I will not go back to that school. I’ll be happy to continue my studies in another school, away from them.” (NAN)
