VIVIAN OKEJEME writes on the initiative of Federal Capital Territory, UNESCO and Microsoft to train 400 youth in Mobile Application Development and Entrepreneurship to checkmate the scourge of unemployment among youths
Unemployment has appeared to be a virus eating deep into the fabrics of the society, and its cure yet unearthed. Governments at all levels have introduced different programmes at some points in time to address the malady right from the days of Structural Adjustment Program, SAP.
But, when youths, especially graduates of higher institutions, are made to understand that there is nothing wrong with making use of skills acquired outside the course they study at school, it will be a step in the right direction towards ending the scourge of joblessness.
In view of this, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in partnership with the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) came up with an initiative to train 400 youths on Mobile Application Development and Entrepreneurship.
The processes
According to UNESCO, the training of the youths will be in four batches. Last week, the first batch of 100 youths graduated from the training on September 6, 2017. The second batch of another 100 youths resumed for the training which will last for two months on September 8.
Speaking at the launch of the Project in Abuja, the Regional Director Office Abuja, Yao Ydo reiterated UNESCO’s commitment, “to contribute towards the building of inclusive knowledge societies, by enhancing Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) skills and open solutions to empower youth, to develop mobile applications that resolve identified local issues of sustainable development.”
UNESCO’s focus on girls
The National Professional Officer of UNESCO in charge of communication and Information Mr. Marculey Olushola, said, the initiative worldwide is called UNESCO youth.
Olushola said the idea behind the initiative, is that by 2018, about two billion youth will be able to develop mobile applications. He informed that coming down to Nigeria, they have started training the youths on mobile applications and networking with the concentration on the girls.
“There have been a lot of testimonies from the first batch of the training, where a lot of them said they know nothing about computers before now but can now dismantle a computer and assemble it again. We cannot say that we have finished the assignment because, this is the first out of the four batches that we have. We still have three more batches to go. The UNESCO is so pleased with the achievement recorded in the first batch.
“The second batch of students for training will be resuming on September, 8. Among those that graduated yesterday, there are those that can now develop mobile applications and mobile networking. The UNESCO is still working with FCTA to see that the HUB they promised us is provided and the idea behind this is that those who have completed thier training can come back to continue.”
According to Macaulay, the training should be a continuous process and the youths should also be encouraged to form different groups of four or five persons where they can set up small enterprise among themselves.”
Partnering state govts
Continuing on the importance of the training on the youth, he said, “Some of them might not even need up to a N100.000 to start up a business of their own. They do not even need a big place to start up a business. The only thing they need from here is support and we will not stop in giving support.
“We are talking with other state governments to look at this template that we have started in the FCT and embrace it because unemployment situation in the country is on the increase and we have to take urgent approach to tackle it.”
The consultant in charge of the training, Akindayo Akindolani, said the programme is geared towards getting the youths to acquire more skills in ICT.
According to him, it is basically for youths so that they can be assisted to upgrade their skills in their respective fields.
He said, “right now, some of them have learnt a lot and are able to develop applications which they can apply in their various fields and businesses. All they need now is to start marketing themselves to make money. The next thing is to start working together to harness each other’s potentials to take them to the next level. All these are towards equipping the youth in other not to depend on the government for employment. With this, they can be their own boss and employers of labor and sustain themselves and their family.”
Youth’s applaud move
Some of the graduating youths, who spoke with Blueprint expressed their joy and thanked the UNESCO, SAMSUNG and Microsoft for coming up with the programme to empower the youth.
One of the participants, Abubakar Sadiq Garba, said he achieved a lot in the course of the programme. “At the end of this programme, I have been able to build phone application and design beautiful websites. My next line of action is to build on what I have learnt here and acquired more skills.”
Another participant, Blessing Olorungbemi said she has now been equipped to face
the ICT world.
“I have achieved more than I expected. I came here to sharpen my computer skills but I ended up knowing how to create a website and developing a mobile applications,” she said
