The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling youth unemployment by training more than 70,000 Nigerian youths in market-driven technical and vocational skills through the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills (IDEAS) Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme.
The National Project Coordinator of the IDEAS Project, Mrs. Blessing Ogwu, disclosed this during the opening of a three-day capacity-building workshop for project personnel and Training Service Providers (TSPs) from Northern Nigeria in Abuja.
According to Ogwu, the IDEAS-TVET initiative, implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education with support from the World Bank, has expanded significantly since its pilot phase, which involved 11 Training Service Providers and produced 1,050 graduates.
She explained that the programme has grown through successive phases, with over 400 Training Service Providers currently participating in Cohort Three, which is expected to graduate more than 40,000 trainees, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to over 70,000.
Ogwu noted that the government has established a comprehensive monitoring and quality assurance framework, including independent Project Monitoring Officers in every state, alongside regular inspections by officials of the Federal Ministry of Education, the IDEAS Project Office and the World Bank.
She added that all Training Service Providers undergo a rigorous selection process, including facility inspections and due diligence, to ensure they possess the capacity to deliver quality vocational training.
To promote sustainable livelihoods, Ogwu said participating training providers must ensure that 30 to 40 per cent of their graduates secure employment or become self-employed before receiving the final tranche of project funding.
She further disclosed that beneficiaries will receive start-up packs to support self-employment and entrepreneurship, reinforcing the programme’s objective of equipping young Nigerians with practical skills for economic independence.
