Funmi Ogundare
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Tuesday known as for a evaluate of Nigeria’s schooling curriculum to tackle the mismatch between graduates’ expertise and labour market calls for, stressing the necessity to equip younger folks with related digital and vocational expertise.
The UNICEF Deputy Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Rownak Khan, made the decision throughout a go to by UNICEF and Airtel Africa to faculties in Agege, Lagos and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), to showcase their digital studying and youth expertise growth initiatives.
She emphasised the influence of the organisation’s partnership with Airtel and academic establishments on youth expertise growth.
Khan mentioned though Nigeria had a longtime schooling system, a lot of its curriculum was outdated and failed to adequately put together younger folks for the realities of the fashionable office.
“In many countries, and to some extent broadly in Nigeria, the education is there, but the curricula that have been followed are quite decades old. When these children come out into the real world, they are in shock because there is a mismatch between what they have learnt and what the market is asking for,” she mentioned.
The UNICEF deputy consultant careworn the necessity for stakeholders to work collectively to bridge the hole between classroom studying and trade necessities, noting that digital expertise growth needs to be linked to sustainable livelihood alternatives for younger folks.
According to her, the collaboration between UNICEF, Airtel and academic establishments demonstrates how partnerships can mix completely different areas of experience to present extra complete help for younger folks.
Khan described the initiative as a flagship programme, noting that its influence prolonged past digital coaching to making ready beneficiaries for employment and different livelihood alternatives.
She recommended Yabatech for its dedication to expertise growth, notably its efforts to combine digital competencies into its programmes and supply younger folks with pathways to financial independence.
In her remarks, the Chief Field Office and Head of Private Sector Partnerships Unit, Celine Lafoucriere, mentioned the telecommunications firm had supported the organisation’s digital schooling initiatives for 5 years by offering connectivity to younger folks in search of to purchase digital expertise.
The partnership, she famous, had enabled beneficiaries to entry varied studying platforms, together with the Learning Passport and the Youth Agency Marketplace (YOMA), which offer alternatives for younger folks to develop expertise and enhance their employability.
Lafoucriere defined that UNICEF labored with completely different companions, every contributing experience and sources to broaden entry to digital schooling.
She mentioned Airtel’s contribution had been notably important in guaranteeing that younger folks may entry expertise growth programmes supplied by means of UNICEF’s community of companions.
According to her, Airtel initially targeted on supporting entry to the Learning Passport when it entered right into a pan-African partnership with UNICEF.
However, discussions between each organisations led to the growth of the initiative to cowl different digital platforms that might profit kids, adolescents and younger folks.
She mentioned Airtel subsequently agreed to whitelist the platforms, permitting beneficiaries to entry the digital studying sources with out the same old knowledge constraints.
The UNICEF official expressed appreciation to the telecommunications firm for its continued help, noting that the partnership had helped strengthen digital studying alternatives in Nigeria.
“The only reason why we are able to drive digital learning in Nigeria today is thanks to Airtel,” Lafoucriere said.
She added that sustained collaboration amongst growth organisations, expertise firms and different stakeholders remained important to guaranteeing that kids and younger folks weren’t left behind within the digital studying ecosystem.
Also talking, Head, Programmes, Airtel Africa Foundation, Esi Asare Prah, reaffirmed its dedication to bridging the digital divide throughout Africa, saying plans to strengthen expertise growth initiatives aimed toward equipping younger folks with competencies required within the labour market.
She said that its partnership with UNICEF, backed by a $57 million funding throughout 13 African international locations, was designed to broaden entry to digital schooling and expertise coaching, notably for younger individuals who lack the alternatives to take part within the digital financial system.
She added that the initiative was notably important in Nigeria due to its emphasis on equipping younger folks with sensible expertise they may use to safe employment and earn a dwelling.
According to her, “Many young people graduated from schools with certificates but lacked the competencies required by employers, creating a mismatch between educational qualifications and labour market demands.”
The basis, Prah famous, has 4 precedence areas, with schooling occupying the foremost place, adopted by digital inclusion.
She said that the partnership with UNICEF remained a key a part of the inspiration’s dedication to addressing instructional inequalities and increasing alternatives for younger folks throughout the continent.
“Our mission is to bridge that digital divide across the continent because our mother company drives the digital education agenda, and there are still a lot of young people who are left behind in that regard,” she mentioned.
Prah additionally described its engagement with YABATECH as a chance to develop a mannequin that may very well be tailored and replicated in different African international locations the place it operates.
“Nigerian initiative stood out because of its focus on practical skills development, supported by technical expertise to ensure that participants acquired competencies relevant to the needs of employers,” she mentioned, including that the method went past offering entry to digital studying platforms or providing coaching.
She careworn the significance of guaranteeing that the abilities acquired may translate into employment and sustainable livelihoods.
The Rector of YABATECH, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, represented by his deputy, Dr. Ismaila Badmus, mentioned the establishment was deliberate about constructing partnerships and strengthening town-and-gown relations.
He expressed appreciation to the companions for his or her help.
