The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

A- FORMAL EDUCATION

This includes the delivery of Science, Mathematics, English, Technology (Basic) to: Primary School, Junior School, Senior secondary schools, and Colleges of Education, as well as Technical and vocational education to those Schools; and in addition, the delivery of Science, Engineering and Technology equipments to Polytecnics, and Universities.

B- INFORMAL EDUCATION

This includes the delivery of Technical and vocational education to Artisans, Technical colleges, Colleges of education and in addition, the delivery of Science, Engineering and Technology equipments to Technical colleges, Polytecnics, and Universities.

UNESCO INITIATIVE: Federal Government of Nigeria – SKILL ‘G’/UNESCO

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Revamping the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics  (STEM) in Nigeria to meet the 21st Century educational needs.

The ushering in of President Obasanjo into Government in 1999 brought lots of changes aimed at improvement on the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics  (STEM) in Nigeria.

As a Presidential Initiative on revamping the study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics  (STEM) , the reviewed Curricula of Nigeria,  which all stakeholders met and prepared for Schools/College/Tertiary Institution was agreed must be matched with pedagogy and equipment that meets with 21st century educational needs.

UNESCO was charged with the task of sourcing, approving and due processing vendors for these initiatives. Skill ‘G’, NASENI and National Mathematics emerged as project executors. The kits approved are micro in Nature to teach Maths and Science in both Primary and Secondary Schools. While for TVET, Skill ‘G’ equipment/lab was approved for Tertiary Institutions. 

The project started with Pilot Phases which was upon completion evaluated and the Project/Initiative was recommended for expansion, Nationwide across Institutions. 
At UNESCO H/Q Paris the FGN and the DG UNESCO Project expansion gave rise to Step B Nigeria Project, which its funding was done via World Bank as against the funds in trust used initially by FG/UNESCO. 

This Step ‘B’ never worked with Skill ‘G’ equipment at the end as minimal results were recorded. However, we continued with the programs outlined to deepen the use of Skill ‘G’ equipment in all Institution leading to great success from 2006 – Date.
 

ROLE OF THE PROJECTS UNDER UNESCO

The Projects are designed to achieve the following:

The Resource centres as part of Technical Vocational training will in some specific areas promote value addition processes for innovation, competiveness and entrepreneurial skills development in Agriculture and marketing, ICT and Business, Renewable Energy, Construction and Tourism, Mechanic and Artisans, Scientific Research, Business and Commodity Education.

PROJECTS COMPONENTS

the following project components is taking into consideration:

Establishment of Specialized Education Resource Centre (Technical and Vocational/ Skill Acquisition Centre)

Provision of Micro Science/Labless Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology Equipment 

Provision of state-of-the-art TVET Equipment for hands-on training and skill acquisition.

Ensuring training and re-training of technicians and Technical and Vocational instructors.

Review of Technical Education Curriculum in line with the demands of labor market and need assessment;     even in such a way that Senior Secondary School Students can be considered for enrolment alongside their     Secondary School education, likewise other interested adults .

Establishment of different cutting edge vocational workshops through renovation of existing structures.

To monitor and evaluate the activities in the TVET Centres and serve as a bridge between the Centre /their     students and the labor market in order to ensure good balance between demand and supply from both parties through the establishment of a business related commercial enterprises. 
 

BENEFITS

Some obvious benefits of the proposed project include:

Job creation: Graduates of the TVET can easily be self-employed rather than hunting for jobs after graduation.

Wealth Creation: Graduates of TVET will be empowered to set up businesses through the vocations and business management/entrepreneurial skills they would be taught, giving them guarantee to be self-reliant, generate wealth and contribute to the nation’s economic development.

The workshops can be used for Adult Evening Courses for those who are employed somewhere but desire to learn a trade; we can design a program separately for this purpose.

Youth empowerment in terms of capacity building/Training   in vocational and entrepreneurship education: The vocational Trade training given at these colleges will mould youths into entrepreneurs, wealth creators and employers of labor.

The project will bridge the demand and supply gap between graduates of the TVET Centres, prospective employers and agencies for small scale businesses, thus creating a link between graduates and labor market.
 

METHODOLOGY

The Pilot phase will have 2 stages Viz:

Stage I

Establishment of 30 within 15 member States of ECOWAS Specialized Resource Centre depending on the member State (Country) population as Pilots.

It will include the following components:

1. 1- Refurbishing & Designing/Redesigning, Renovation & Furnishing of the Resource Centre.

2. 2- Equipping of Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) equipment  to each centre.

3. 3- Equip and install of Technical & Vocational Equipment to the Centres.            

4. 4- Training and Capacity Building in various Courses/Trades and on Entrepreneurship.  

5. ​

(For more insight on the methodology, please download the document at the bottom of the page.)

METHODOLOGY

The Pilot phase will have 2 stages Viz:

Stage I

Establishment of 30 within 15 member States of ECOWAS Specialized Resource Centre depending on the member State (Country) population as Pilots.

It will include the following components:

1. 1- Refurbishing & Designing/Redesigning, Renovation & Furnishing of the Resource Centre.

2. 2- Equipping of Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) equipment  to each centre.

3. 3- Equip and install of Technical & Vocational Equipment to the Centres.            

4. 4- Training and Capacity Building in various Courses/Trades and on Entrepreneurship.  

5. ​

(For more insight on the methodology, please download this document.)