From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
No fewer than 1,000 students and out-of-school youths from across the Six Area Councils of FCT have participated in the Incentivised Pilot Schools Sewing Championship project 2023 (SSCP23) being organized by the FCT Education Secretariat, initiated by the Ladi Memorial Foundation (LMF).
The project is being supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) under the Participation Programme 2022/23, Federal Ministry of Education, FCT Education Secretariat, and National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC).
Others stakeholders are Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), National Mass Education Commission (NMEC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and other stakeholders.
The project is aimed at motivating and harnessing creativity among young adults as well as identifying and promoting talented young skilled artisans and craftsmen of school age.
The project is also aimed at advocating stakeholders support for TVET especially in strengthening schools TVET workshops to serve as incubation centres in communities.
Speaking while monitoring the second stage of the competition at AMAC centre, the Executive Director of LMF, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, said participants would undergo both practical and theoretical tests after which the best nine candidates would be selected from each of the six area councils for the next stage.
According to Osikoya, overall, we have over 1000 contestants across the six (6) Area council which is 900 percent above what was initially planned.
Osikoya, who is also the immediate past Kogi Commissioner for Education, Science said Technology,
said the initiative was designed to sensitize the general public and targeted stakeholders on the benefits of vocational education and livelihood skills development.
Osikoya said 54 winners who would emerge from the second phase of the competition would undergo a 5-day intensive training at a boot camp after which three overall winners would emerge.
She said participants and participating schools that will emerge first, second and third positions at the end of the competition will get sewing machines and sewing equipment as prizes.
She said the targeted beneficiaries/groups include young adults aged 12-20 years who are enrolled in both formal learning centres (JSS and SSS) and out-of-school youths or learners in non-formal learning centres in Abuja.