The Ministry of Youth Development is planning to introduce a new training scheme equivalent to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for graduates of the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE).
This announcement was made by the Minister of State for Youth Development, Mr. Olawande Wisdom, during the opening of the BEMORE OYO 2024 Summer Bootcamp in Ibadan on Monday.
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Mr. Wisdom revealed that the Ministry would collaborate with the Ministry of Education to implement training reforms, including a program equivalent to the NYSC specifically designed for NCE holders and others. He emphasized the importance of youth training programs, citing organizations like the Boys’ Brigade and Girl Guides as crucial in keeping many young people away from social vices.
“The major priority of the ministry is the citizenship and training, and we are bringing them back. We have NYSC for those who finished from universities, but what of those who finished from NCE and others? So, we want to set up a training such that you don’t need to go to other states to have it – you can have it in your state and the camp. A lot of reforms are going on, and we are trying as much as possible to bring renewed hope to people; to the girls and boys,” Wisdom said.
He also commended Dr. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the founder of BEMORE Empowered Girls Foundation, for her significant contributions to the development of the girl-child and for raising the bar of excellence. Wisdom called for continued support for BEMORE and similar organizations in their efforts to empower Nigerian women and girls.
Dr. Anyanwu-Akeredolu, the wife of the former governor of Ondo State, clarified that the BEMORE initiative is independent of the Ondo State Government and focuses on building future female leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). She highlighted the initiative’s commitment to advancing the girl-child, which she said was inspired by her own life experiences.
“We cannot achieve development if we leave behind 50 per cent of our population, made up of women and girls,” Anyanwu-Akeredolu stated.
In his address, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Odu’a Investments, Mr. Abdulrahman Yinusa, encouraged participants to fully utilize the knowledge gained from the training. He praised the organizers and mentors for their investment in the future of girls through technological initiatives aimed at sustainability.
