The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the education and rehabilitation of the rescued Chibok girls through a major financial intervention aimed at supporting their academic and personal development.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, CON, stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, remains dedicated to the future of Nigerian children and does not play politics with their education.
Speaking to Nigerians and the international community, Dr. Alausa said, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, does not play politics with the education and future of Nigerian children.” He emphasized that the administration under the Renewed Hope Agenda is focused on providing comprehensive rehabilitation and academic support for the rescued girls.
It has been over a decade since the tragic abduction of the Chibok schoolgirls in 2014, an event that shocked the world. Many of the girls, now young women, have continued to be a moral responsibility of the Nigerian State. Under President Tinubu’s leadership, the Federal Government has ensured that the rescued 108 girls, who are under the care of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, continue to receive necessary support.
Currently, sixty-eight of the girls are enrolled at the American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola. The institution is owned by opposition politician and former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Despite political differences and criticism, President Tinubu has approved the continued payment of tuition, accommodation, and other related fees to the university to ensure these girls are not deprived of quality education.
To sustain this effort, the Federal Government has allocated a total sum of ₦1,854,277,768 for the Chibok Girls Intervention Programme, which will run until 2027. This program covers tuition fees, vocational training, psychosocial care, accommodation, and other essential support.
A breakdown of the funding shows that ₦389,666,928 will be spent on outstanding tuition fees for 68 girls for the 2024/2025 academic year. Another ₦515,735,640 is set aside for tuition fees for 30 girls over the next three years. Vocational skills and starter packs for 30 AUN students will cost ₦150,000,000, while another ₦195,000,000 is budgeted for 39 girls, including one graduate.
Accommodation and feeding for vocational training will take ₦117,000,000, while rent allowance for nine girls in Adamawa is budgeted at ₦16,200,000. Other allocations include child support of ₦22,680,000, parental support of ₦165,600,000, surgical and medical support of ₦3,680,000, and travel and logistics for surgery support at ₦900,000. There is also ₦5,000,000 for pre and post-surgery travel and ₦2,815,200 for NHIS enrollment.
Additionally, ₦120,000,000 has been allocated for monitoring and evaluation of academic progress, while provisions such as food, toiletries, and sanitary wares will cost ₦150,000,000.
Dr. Alausa noted that this commitment is not only financial but also a moral pledge to turn a dark chapter in Nigeria’s history into a story of resilience, dignity, and hope.
“While opposition politicians like the former Vice President and others have chosen to exploit national challenges for political gain, President Tinubu has demonstrated true statesmanship by ensuring that Nigerian children, even those studying in institutions owned by his fiercest critics, are not deprived of their education and rehabilitation,” he said.