The federal government has flagged off Technical and Vocational Education (TVET) training in Abuja under its Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) project to equip Nigerian youths with practical skills and reduce rising unemployment.
The IDEAS Project is a federal government initiative championed by the Federal Ministry of Education with support from the World Bank. It is designed to strengthen TVET by promoting industry-relevant skills, improving the quality of training, and encouraging entrepreneurship among young Nigerians.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony held at Government Secondary School, Area 10, Garki, Abuja, a World Bank Education Specialist, Dr. Mistura Rufai, urged participants to take the programme seriously and focus on the core objectives.
“As you are taking the training, we are at the technical side, a theory for what you came for, and for what you need to get through this training.
“You have to take the training seriously and have a greater hope for tomorrow. As we are at the technical side working well for you to make the training smooth, you should be at the other side putting all your efforts to see that you get the best out of the training.
“We can’t do everything for you, but we can be a starting point to make sure everything works well for you. Try to build a good entrepreneurship skill. The difference between Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition, IDEAS, and other programmes you must have heard about or attended is that we see training as process and not final.
“The important thing is what you are able to achieve from the training. We are providing you with resources; it is left for you to grab the opportunity and utilise it.
“Completing is one thing, utilising it in future is another. There are many out there doing nothing. Not in education, not in employment and not in any skill. So the Federal Ministry of Education with the support of the World Bank is trying to see what can be done for this category of people,” she said.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Organising Committee of IDEAS/TVET Programme, Abuja, Dr Raphael Prince, said the main objective is to drastically reduce youth unemployment and build an entrepreneurial mindset.
“It will also help to reduce the dependence on government,” he said.
He disclosed that the programme will run for six months, after which trainees are expected to be empowered. He added that participants are currently receiving monthly stipends to cover feeding and transportation during the training period.
Dr Prince further revealed that there are 33 training centres across different skills within the FCT. According to him, some centres have been allocated 50, 100, 150 and above slots to accommodate participants under the IDEAS/TVET Programme.
