By Bishop Aturu.
In a bid to enhance accountability, transparency, and governance in Kogi State’s educational sector, the Kogi State Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project recently organized a comprehensive training on Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) for school principals and guidance counselors.
The training took place across the State’s three senatorial zones, targeting principals and guidance counselors of government-owned secondary schools.
The Honorable Commissioner for Education, Wemi Jones, graced the event and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to strengthening education governance. He highlighted the importance of effective grievance redress mechanisms in maintaining accountability and promoting a conducive learning environment.
Speaking at the training’s, the National Project Coordinating Unit (NPCU) GRM Lead Officer, Mr. Emmanuel Erinms, facilitated the GRM sessions, providing in-depth insights into grievance handling and complaint resolution.
He emphasized practical approaches to managing grievances, fostering transparency, and creating safe spaces for students and stakeholders to express concerns.
Also, Directors from the Kogi Ministry of Women Affairs, Mr. Mark Olufemi and Mr. Inah Isaac contributed significantly to the training by leading sessions on gender-sensitive grievance redress and child protection.
Their presentations underscored the need to address grievances with sensitivity and fairness, especially concerning vulnerable groups.
The Project Coordinator of Kogi AGILE, Dr. Abdulhakeem Bello., in his opening remarks, stressed the project’s focus on inclusion and accountability.
He encouraged participants to apply the knowledge gained to establish effective Grievance Redress Committees (GRCs) in all government-owned secondary schools across the state.
The 12-days GRM training, held from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily, was conducted across 21 local government areas (in clusters across 7 central Local Governments) in the three senatorial zones of Kogi State to capture all government owned school principals and guidance counselors.
The training featured breakout sessions, interactive workshops, and practical demonstrations, providing participants with hands-on experience and fostering collaborative learning.
Participants expressed gratitude for the training, describing it as timely and impactful. Many noted that the skills acquired would enhance their ability to handle grievances efficiently, ultimately contributing to improved school governance.
