By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Generation Unlimited (GenU) has empowered with toolkits, outstanding 200 girls, who have completed a training under the Girls’ Education and Skills Partnership (GESP) programme.

At the Startup Toolkit and National Skills Qualification Certificate presentation at the Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech) on Wednesday, Celine Lafoucriere, Chief Field Officer of UNICEF, South-West Nigeria, identified Yabatech as a partner in driving skills development in Nigeria.

Lafoucriere was represented by UNICEF’s Social Policy Specialist, Mr Muhammad Okorie.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the GESP programme was across four key skills areas  – web application development, mobile application development, GSM and mobile phone repair, and computer hardware maintenance repair.

Lafoucriere said that the partnership with Yabatech had created an enabling environment for providing thousands of girls and young women with an opportunity to develop market-oriented skills for employment and entrepreneurship.

She described the empowerment as a critical lever for economic and social development globally, saying that Nigeria’s youth population made it a pressing need.

“Today, the first and second cohorts gained credentials with certification of the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) Level Two,” she said.

The official added that the graduates were being given essential toolkits to acquire more advanced skills and excel in the labour market.

“UNICEF remains committed to serving the needs of children and youths particularly by scaling the evidence-based skills programme for most marginalised girls and young women, in partnership with Nigeria Government, UK Government and GESP partners,” she said.

In a keynote address, the Wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, said the initiative was a laudable step toward nurturing a productive future for girls as they would begin to apply their newly-acquired skills in everyday life.

She was represented by Mrs Abimbola Odunmbaku, Wife of the Chairman of Ojodu Local Council Development Area of Lagos State.

Sanwo-Olu praised Yabatech, UNICEF and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for the programme, which she described as impactful.

“This collaboration reflects a strong commitment to empowering girls, while promoting, protecting and preserving their rights and overall wellbeing.

“Yabatech and its development partners have remained shining examples in fostering youth development.

“Their dedication to building the capacity of young people and supporting communities deserves our collective applause.

“When we come together to nurture and empower our youths, the task of nation-building becomes far less daunting,” she added.

Sanwo-Olu said that education would help young women to realise their full potential and make informed and independent decisions.

She described the training as an empowerment tool, which the beneficiaries would use to take control of their lives, uplift their families, and positively impact their communities.

“As stakeholders, we must intensify our advocacy for a holistic approach to education, one that not only prepares our children to excel academically but also equips them to be financially independent, emotionally resilient and socially relevant.

She charged the girls to cultivate the right attitudes and pursue excellence, adding that they should allow integrity and hard work to define their journeys.

She gave the assurance that the state government would continue to formulate policies and programmes that would create an enabling, inclusive and safe environment for youths to thrive.

In his remarks, the Rector of Yabatech, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, expressed gratitude to UNICEF and other partners for support and collaboration.

He said that the distribution of the startup toolkits was a major stride in making the beneficiaries to move from learning to earning.

Abdul said the initiative showed the power of partnership in transforming lives.

“We remain at the forefront of technical education, innovation and community impact through the GESP.

“We are aligning with our strategic vision to equip our youths particularly young women with demand-driven skills to position them competitively in the labour market and as change agents within their communities.

We remain deeply committed to initiatives that bridge the gender gap in STEM, digital innovation and skilled trades,” he added.

Earlier, Dr Funmilayo Doherty, GESP Project Coordinator at Yabatech, said that the toolkits included 50 laptops to the best-performing girls in web application development and 50 laptops to those in mobile application development.

Doherty said that 50 laptops were also distributed to those trained in computer hardware maintenance and repair, while learners in GSM and mobile phone repair also got 50 toolkits at the event.

“These young girls have not only completed their training in record time but have also demonstrated commitment, growth and resilience.

“Their work has stood out, their confidence has soared, their potential is clear.

“The startup toolkits is one of the most practical and meaningful ways to support their journey into the world of work and enterprise,” she added.

She noted that the initiative was launched in 2024 with the vision to empower 5,250 young women with relevant, quality, gender-responsive technical and digital skills, and ultimately connect them to better livelihoods in the informal and communication technology sector.

Miss Faith Joseph, one of the beneficiaries who trained under GESP GSM/Mobile Phone Repair, thanked UNICEF and Yabatech for the opportunity to acquire the skill.

“I learnt the skill at CARLCARE training school through the help of GESP Yabatech, and today I work as a technician in 9s LIFE NICE,” she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Augusta Uchediunor/Ijeoma Popoola

By Ibironke Ariyo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Federal Ministry of Education have agreed to introduce a compulsory drug integrity test for students of tertiary institutions.

The organisations also agreed to review the secondary school curriculum to incorporate drug education.

The agreement was reached between the two agencies when the NDLEA Chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, paid a courtesy visit to the Ministry on Wednesday in Abuja.

Marwa, who led a delegation of his management team to the meeting with the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, commended the minister for his proactive approach to his job.

He highlighted the devastating effect of substance abuse on the country’s youthful population, adding that the fight against illicit drugs was a fight for the souls of the Nigerian youth.

Marwa said that the focus of the agency would be on schools and educational institutions, adding that there were millions of Nigerian children that were under the supervision of the ministry, and it’s very critical.

“So, we’re actually fighting for the souls of our children. Now, we also know that use of drugs is exacerbating criminal activities. That is, Boko Haram, the terrorism, banditry, and so on.

“We know that without drugs, they wouldn’t be able to do what they are doing, because they wouldn’t do all these criminal activities in their right senses.

“So, in our own way, we are contributing to the fight against insecurity in the country. Now, through law enforcement action, we have continued to deal mortal blows to the drug cartels.

“We know that through the seizures, arrests, convictions, and assets forfeiture, we’re doing our best.”

Marwa said that with support from President Bola Tinubu, within the last two years, the agency arrested 40,887 criminal elements, obtained 8,682 convictions and seized 5,507 metric tons of illicit drugs.

According to him, from January last year, opioids, that’s tramadol seized, are in excess of one billion pills, which is worth more than N1 trillion.

The NDELA boss emphasised that the President was also supporting the agency to build seven rehabilitation centres in addition to the existing 30 centres in NDLEA commands nationwide.

Marwa noted that President Tinubu had also approved the construction of one model rehab centre in each of the geo-political zones in the country.

He listed three key areas he would want the Ministry and NDLEA to collaborate to effectively check the menace of substance abuse among Nigerian youths.

According to him, the first suggestion is for a review of the drug education curriculum in secondary schools.

“Even though we’re told of the existence of this in the past but because of the complexity of drugs, the dynamism of it, and the new psychoactive substances that have come to play, we feel that it is time to consider a review of this drug education curriculum.

“Another area we were thinking of suggesting is to introduce stand-alone drug abuse prevention programmes in schools, secondary schools.

“Not the curriculum this time, but programmes that stand on their own, lectures, competitions, and involving the parents, and so on.

“And then the third area we were thinking about is to adopt a drug testing policy in tertiary institutions, because we want a policy to keep our campuses clean.”

In his response, the minister commended Marwa for his steadfastness and commitment to the service of Nigeria.

“Thank you for your service to Lagos. And beyond that, General Buba Marwa, has committed his life to serve this country. Since I knew him 30 years ago, he’s still serving the country.”

Alausa, however, noted that the drug scourge was a huge problem that must be tackled headlong.

“When the youths get into drugs, they won’t go to school and even when they go to school, they are not getting a functional education.

“And at the end of the day, what happens? Their level of critical thinking is lower. Their ability to make informed decisions in the later part of their life becomes significantly reduced.

“So, they become unemployable. And what happens? You now have that vicious cycle. They’re not functional. They’re not useful to themselves. All they do is resort to criminality.

Talking about the areas of collaboration, the Minister suggested that a technical working group, inter-ministerial working group be formed between the Education ministry and NDLEA.

“We’re reviewing the curriculum now for secondary school. And that’s why I’ve asked the director of Senior Secondary School to come, to be here and then we find a way to cascade it down to primary school.”

The minister also assured of getting two agencies under the ministry, UBEC and TETFund to partner with the NDLEA Academy in Jos as part of efforts to deepen drug education in basic, secondary and tertiary institutions across the country.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Abel Enitan, announced the take-off of a Substance Use Prevention Unit in the ministry as directed by the minister. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo and Yakubu Uba