By Ahmed Ahmed
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Bauchi State Government to implement Girls Employability and Skills Partnership (GESP) projects in 80 different schools across the state.
Our correspondent reports that the one programme was funded by the Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in the United Kingdom and the Standard Chartered Bank to empower and eliminate poverty.
Alhaji Dauda Mahmood, Director of Science and Technical Education at the State Ministry of Education led the team of the Ministry at the end of town hall meetings held in selected schools of four local government areas of Ningi, Katagum Tafawa Balewa and Bauchi.
He stated this at the town hall meeting in Kofar Wambai Girls Secondary Bauchi to round off the meeting on Wednesday.
According to him, the Girls Employability Skills Partnership seeks to address the needs of girls by introducing them to skills that will assist them after school and make them self-reliant.
“The town hall meeting with selected Girls Employability Skills Partnership beneficiary schools was to inform students of what the program is all about and how they can access it.
“GESP would provide high quality and market-relevant to young girls and boys aged between 13 to 24 years.
“The programme would be implemented in 60 secondary schools, 16 Vocational training schools and 4 Tertiary Institutions, a total of 80 schools across the state,” he said.
The Director explained that the one-year must be sustained and thus the Ministry of Education with support from the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office has held town hall meetings with the students to encourage them to take online lessons on the Nigeria learning passport.
In his presentation Dr B,abangida Haruna, The Nigeria Learning Passport Technician in the Ministry said the online platform offers thousands of courses that students can take to improve their skills.
He noted that there are important courses like digital literacy and productivity, professional soft skills and entrepreneurship that offer beneficiaries to take courses and get certificates that they can use after school. Haruna also encouraged the students to showcase the skills acquired on social media to market their products.
He urged the students to register with Nigeria to learn the Passport form to improve their knowledge and skills.
The Town Hall meeting rounded up the Bauchi local government area held at Government Girls College Bauchi, Government Day Comprehensive Secondary School Zungur model school, Government Day Secondary School Bakari Dukku.
Others are Government Day Secondary School Kofar Wambai, Government Technical and Vocational School Gombe Road Bauchi and Kofar Idi Girls Secondary Schools Bauchi.
Asiya Adamu a Student of Kofar Wambai Girls Secondary School appreciated the initiative of the government and UNICEF, which encouraged them to develop skills and become self-employed.