By Felix Khanoba
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to improving access to education for Nigerian children, with a renewed focus on keeping girls in school through the distribution of two million packs of sanitary towels and learning materials nationwide.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, stated this during the national launch of the distribution initiative, which was flagged off by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The programme, tagged “Flow with Confidence 2.0: Keeping Every Girl in School,” was organised to commemorate the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child and will benefit girls in public basic education schools across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah, Alausa said investment in children’s education, welfare and empowerment remained essential to national development.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for prioritising children’s education under the Renewed Hope Agenda, noting that providing young people with quality education and the necessary support would help prepare them for future leadership and other productive roles in society.
The minister stressed that educating and empowering girls was an investment in Nigeria’s future, adding that efforts to eliminate obstacles to school attendance and learning would enable them to develop their abilities, pursue their ambitions and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Speaking at the event, the First Lady said the Flow with Confidence 2.0 initiative was designed to protect girls’ dignity, improve menstrual health and hygiene, and prevent menstruation-related challenges from disrupting their education.
She recalled that the Renewed Hope Initiative launched the original Flow with Confidence programme on October 2, 2025, with the distribution of a one-year supply of disposable sanitary pads to 370,000 schoolgirls in rural communities.
Senator Tinubu stressed the need for transparency and accountability in implementing the new phase of the programme to ensure that the materials reach the intended beneficiaries.
She also called on traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents and other community stakeholders to work towards eliminating the stigma associated with menstruation and creating an environment that encourages girls to remain in school and pursue their aspirations.
The First Lady further disclosed that the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) planned to provide scholarship assistance through its Learners Retention Support Programme, with an initial target of 100,000 learners expected to receive grants of ₦20,000 each.
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, described the initiative as a significant intervention to safeguard girls’ dignity and promote menstrual health and hygiene.
She emphasised that menstruation should not prevent girls from attending school, participating in academic activities or achieving their educational goals.
Ahmad urged the beneficiaries to remain committed to their studies, work hard and believe in their abilities, stressing that their ambitions and future contributions were important to the country.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba, reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to expanding access to quality basic education and reducing the number of children who drop out of school.
She said the commission was pursuing this objective through infrastructure development, the provision of learning materials, teacher capacity development and improved access to water and sanitation facilities in schools.
Garba highlighted the construction of more than 4,000 classrooms in less than three years, alongside the distribution of back-to-school materials to over three million pupils in the preceding year.
She added that collaboration with relevant agencies had also supported the return of 700,000 out-of-school children to education.
Alausa assured that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to support programmes aimed at expanding educational opportunities, improving learner retention and addressing challenges that prevent children, particularly girls, from accessing quality education.
He emphasised that sustained cooperation among government institutions, families, communities and development partners was necessary to improve educational outcomes and ensure that every Nigerian child had the opportunity to learn, develop and contribute to national progress.
