Professor Yemi Osinbajo, the former Vice President of Nigeria through his foundation, Future Perspective is working in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to bring about the innovation to transform education training program in Nigeria. Applications are now open for the Future Perspective and UNESCO’s Innovation Training Program and innovative thinking Nigerian youths are advised to utilize this powerful opportunity by putting forward their applications without delay.
Earlier in July 2023, it was announced that the is a collaboration between Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s newly formed Organisation, Future Perspectives, and UNESCO IESALC to launch the Innovation to Transform Education Training (ITET) in Nigeria.
A background to the training came from seven regional youth consultations that took place in 2022, across the globe which culminated in the Youth Declaration, a collaborative document shaped by half a million young voices from 170 countries demanding that youth are recognized as co-creators of the educational transformation required in our times. To put forward the recommendations and requests in the Declaration, the United Nations launched the Global Youth Initiative (GYI), a ground-breaking, multi-stakeholder global effort that aims to ensure meaningful youth engagement and leadership in education policymaking.
This collaboration of Future Perspectives and UNESCO IESALC, which leads one of the capacity-building components of the Global Youth Initiative (GYI), will ensure the capacity of youth and students, especially the most marginalized. It is strengthened to enable them to become agents of change in transforming education in their specific national contexts through ITET.
Key Areas of the Future Perspective and UNESCO’s Innovation Training
It is believed that building onto consultations with young Nigerian education innovators and other key educational stakeholders, ITET seeks to provide evidence-based training in the following three key areas:
APPLIED POLICY SKILLS
Youth participants acquire applied policy skills, enabling them to understand the national policy ecosystem and meaningfully engage in decision-making processes in the field of education.
INNOVATION SKILLS
Youth participants are empowered to discover their own innovative perspectives on educational change, by training on creative problem-solving techniques, critical thinking, and entrepreneurial approaches to address challenges in education.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT SKILLS
Youth participants develop project management skills while reflecting on their contextual situation, enabling them to effectively plan, design and implement.
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Benefits of the Innovation Training
It is expected that by the end of the Innovation to Transform Education Training (ITET), all trainees will have experience in the complete six skillset trainings which include:
- Pluralism Assessment
- Evidence-Based Skills, Technical & Methodological Skills
- Digital Skills
- Project Cycle & Project Planning
- Social & Inter-Cultural Skills
The training is an on-site, five-day program with its venue in Lagos. It will consist of lectures, workshops and practical activities across different skill sets with a focus on transforming education. It is important to note that training costs will be covered for all selected applicants. Meanwhile, all applicants must submit an initiative or current project that can transform education in Nigeria or Africa with a focus on EdTech. All participants will pitch their innovation or project to the ITET Judging Panel at the end of the workshop using the skills acquired during the training. A certificate of completion will be awarded to those who complete the workshop.
At the end of the training programme, 10 Outstanding Participants qualify for EdTech Incubation to accelerate Innovation, and the Top 5 Winners get Financial Prizes.
PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
50 applicants will be selected for the capacity-building training and to be eligible, the candidate must:
- Be a Nigerian Citizen
- Be aged 18 – 35 years
- Be recommended by key education institutions and other key educational stakeholders in the country
- Submit an idea or initial project on EdTech Innovation to Transform Education.
- Fall under one of the following categories:
- Pre-service or in-service education stakeholder who is currently studying at higher education institutions with education-focused programs, OR;
- Interdisciplinary university student or practitioner who has a crossover interest or projects on education, OR
- Education practitioner at national, provincial, and local levels, OR;
- Youth leader from major youth organizations in Nigeria based in higher education.
Application Instructions
Applications are online. Applicants are to visit futureperspectives.org for more guidance and further information on the Program.
Candidates are to access the Application Form and submit it before September 20, 2023. Only pre-selected candidates will be invited to a second round of applications where they will have to submit a pitch video, photograph and reference letter.
Application Deadline
September 20, 2023.