The National Board for Technical Education and Teach the Child Initiative have entered a new partnership aimed at improving skills development and employment opportunities for rural youths across the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory. The agreement is seen as a strategic move to expand awareness and strengthen implementation of the Nigeria Skills Qualification Framework and Technical Vocational Education and Training in underserved areas.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on behalf of the Executive Secretary of NBTE, Professor Idris M. Bugaje, by Engr. Bashir Datti, Head of Work Skills Nigeria, NBTE Kaduna. The signing marks a major milestone in efforts to promote structured skills learning, career pathways, and certification for young people who often miss out on formal development opportunities. At the ceremony was Pascal Durand, a French expatriate and career expert working with NBTE, who praised the collaboration as a forward thinking step that reflects global standards in youth capacity building.
Under the agreement, Teach the Child Initiative, a registered non governmental organization based in Gwarimpa, Abuja, will lead the Employment Advocacy for Rural Youths Project. This campaign is designed to inform young people and stakeholders about the opportunities available through the Nigeria Skills Qualification Framework. The effort will focus on communities across Abuja’s six area councils.
The MoU outlines joint work areas beginning with public awareness and sensitization. Teach the Child will organize targeted engagements including focus group discussions, stakeholder visits, and town hall meetings. These activities will help youths understand the value of the Nigeria Skills Qualification Framework, where to find skills training centres, how to obtain recognized qualifications, and why employers should adopt skills based hiring under NSQF standards. The collaboration also covers digital and social media promotion. Both organizations will create strategic content and digital tools to reach young people on platforms where they are most active, ensuring that technical and vocational education messages are accessible.
Speaking at the event, Engr. Datti restated NBTE’s commitment to expanding accessible and industry relevant skills training nationwide. He noted that the initiative is timely and essential in addressing youth unemployment. According to him, “credible skills certification remains a sustainable route to empowering rural communities and boosting national productivity.” His comments reflect the belief that practical training remains an effective pathway to stable livelihoods for young Nigerians.
In her remarks, Pearl Utuk, Chief Executive Officer of Teach the Child Initiative, described the MoU as a milestone in the organization’s mission to equip young people with tools needed to succeed in today’s economy. “This partnership with NBTE represents hope, opportunity, and a clear pathway to employment for thousands of young people across the FCT,” she said. She noted that rural youths have long been left out of conversations about skills development and the future of work. The project, she explained, will take the Nigeria Skills Qualification Framework directly into communities and help young people understand how technical and vocational skills can shape their future.
Utuk explained that the project is more than awareness, saying the Employment Advocacy for Rural Youths initiative will create real access. “We are not only informing youths about the NSQF, we are connecting them to certified centres, showing them how to enrol, and working with private sector stakeholders to embrace skills based recruitment,” she added. She commended NBTE for its openness to collaboration and said sustained engagement, community support and partnership with local institutions are key to success.
She noted that the partnership signals a long term process of change. According to her, “With the support of NBTE and our partners, we are confident that more young people will gain the skills, confidence, and certification needed to secure meaningful employment and contribute to national development.”
