Yaba College of Technology in partnership with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund are to train one million girls in Nigeria on education skills through UNICEF’s programme: Girls’ Education Skills and Partnership.
The college is expected to empower 5,000 girls in Lagos State to boost access to skills and economic opportunities.
It is meant to support adolescent girls and young women to become employable, entrepreneurial and better skilled in information communication technology.
The Rector, Yaba College of Technology, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, disclosed this at the opening ceremony of a five-day course design workshop on Girls Education Skills and Partnership sponsored by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund and Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office holding at the college PTDF/CITM Computer Laboratory with over 60 participants.
Engr. Abdul emphasised the significance of the Girls’ Education Skills and Partnership project, which seeks to provide sustainable livelihood training for the girl child, necessary skills acquisition and having significant employment.
He highlighted the importance of ICT skills, stressing that they are in high demand and are essential for long-lasting skill development.
The project, he mentioned, will utilise a pedagogical approach, combining online learning with practical workplace experience.
“Empowering our girls with ICT skills is not just about addressing the gender gap; it’s about equipping them with tools for a sustainable future, and we are committed to providing our students with the necessary skills to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape,” the Rector stated.
According to him: “As far as the National Skills Qualification Framework is concerned, YABATECH is leading the trend by tapping into its objectives of targeting 5,000 women for profitable skills acquisition.
“This is the first workshop in the college that will strictly target girls’ empowerment. It is very expedient to give the women the conducive atmosphere in acquiring skills, and the College has what it takes in ensuring that the workshop is successful.”
The Rector enjoined the participants to pay rapt attention during the intensive workshop in order for them to acquire the required skills and template towards making the project a success.
In his speech, the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education, Prof. Idris Bugaje, represented by the Director, NBTE South West Zonal Office, Ayo Aroge, commended YABATECH for its commitment to skills development in Nigeria.
He expressed the board’s excitement about the College’s initiative to train the girl child, which aligns with the current demand for skilled professionals.
According to Bugaje: “The future of our nation depends on the quality of education we provide our young people, and initiatives like this are crucial in ensuring that we remain competitive in the global economy.”
He remarked that by investing in the skills development of our girls, YABATECH is not only empowering them, but also contributing to the overall development of our society.
He expressed that the workshop, aiming at empowering 5,000 girls for skills acquisition in Lagos State, has active roles in which men will play as well, and congratulated the participants for attending.
The project coordinator, Dr. Funmilayo Doherty, in her welcome address said that the workshop is made possible through the support of UNICEF and FCDO.
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She said that facilitators at the workshop were drawn from the team from United Kingdom partners, INASP and Nigerian counterparts with focus on a gender-responsive pedagogy approach that will be integrated into the learning design template.
Doherty declared that the range of learning resources will be developed to equip adolescent girls and young women with market relevant skills and the courses during the workshop includes resources for Adolescent Girls and Young Women developed as Open Education Resources for GSM and Mobile Phone Repairs, Computer Hardware Maintenance and Repairs, Mobile Applications Development and Web Application Development.
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