Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has launched a Future Perspectives and UNESCO open education training program for 50 participants across Nigeria.
This marks the first on-site cohort for the Innovation to Transform Education Training Program (ITET).
The EdTech program, an initiative by Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in collaboration with UNESCO IESALC, commenced on November 20th and is scheduled to conclude on November 24th at the Africa Fintech Foundry Innovation Hub, located at Ibiyinka Olorunbe, off Amodu Ojikutu, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The four-day intensive program featured lectures, workshops, and practical activities across various skill sets with the goal of transforming education.
Osinbajo, who attended on the third day (Wednesday), November 22, 2023, spoke extensively about the initiative and its mission to educate young Nigerians, instrumental in driving change in the country.
While addressing the participants, he urged them to seize this golden opportunity and leverage the skills taught during the program, stating, “the world is now a global village; very soon, we won’t have classes or schools anymore; everything would be done online in the next few years.”
“I am telling you, 3D and Metaverse are taking over the world, and we must adapt as a nation so that we won’t fall behind.”
After his speech, the trainees engaged the former Vice President in a chat, asking a series of questions about EdTech.
A participant identified as Elizabeth Adams, thanked Osinbajo for the opportunity and the rare privilege of being selected for the program.
Elizabeth highlighted the skill set on Pluralism, describing it as an eye-opener, emphasizing that the knowledge gained would be used to impact others.
The non-profit organization, Future Perspectives, focuses on capacity-building, targeting youth and students, especially the most marginalized, to become agents of change in transforming education in their specific national contexts through ITET.
ITET aims to provide evidence-based training in the following three key areas:
Applied Policy Skills: Youth participants acquire applied policy skills to understand the national policy ecosystem and engage meaningfully in decision-making processes in the field of education.
Project Management Skills: Youth participants develop project management skills, enabling effective planning, design, and implementation, reflecting on their contextual situation.
Innovation Skills: Youth participants are empowered to discover their innovative perspectives on educational change, training in creative problem-solving techniques, critical thinking, and entrepreneurial approaches to address challenges in education.
Stakeholders noted that by the end of the program, trainees will have experienced the complete six-skill set training, including Pluralism Assessment, Evidence-Based Skills, Technical & Methodological Skills, Digital Skills, Project Cycle & Project Planning, and Social & Inter-Cultural Skills.
All costs will be covered by the initiative for selected applicants. As part of the completion guideline, applicants must submit an initiative or current project that can transform education in Nigeria/Africa with a focus on EdTech.
Participants will then pitch their innovation or project to the ITET Judging Panel at the end of the workshop using the acquired skills.
Afterward, a certificate of completion will be awarded to those who complete the workshop, with 10 Outstanding Participants qualifying for EdTech Incubation to accelerate innovation, and the Top 5 Winners receiving financial prizes.
