In Nigeria, a high percentage of youths have innate creative skills, but lack the required avenue to showcase such in order to make them competitive. This drawback may negatively impact the economic future of the country if not tackled. KELECHI EWUZIE writes on how MTN Foundation through its theatre for schools initiative is addressing this.
Nigeria is facing a youth employment crisis, with figures from the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics showing youth unemployment rate averaging 23.63 percent from 2014 to 36.50 percent in the third quarter of 2018.
It is worrying that deficient school curricula and poor teacher training have contributed to the failure of educational institutions to provide their students with the appropriate skills to make them employable and function effectively in the 21st century.
There is also the huge burden that a high percentage of Nigerian youths stand little competitive chance of securing high-paying jobs globally because they are ill-equipped to provide the needed solution that huge global workforce demands.
It is the general views of industry watchers that any country serious about preparing her future generation to be competitive in the the global market will ensure her children are actively engaged not just in classroom work, but other creative aspects of learning from a very early age.
While most secondary schools in Nigeria lay claims to having drama and creative arts classes where they teach the pupils the rudiments of play-acting and culture, serious efforts need to be channelled to ensure that a focus on Arts and Culture is supported, as this will stimulate public interest in Nigerian Arts and Culture as well as encourage the adoption of theatre from an early age by talented young Nigerians.
It has also become imperative that young Nigerians be provided the opportunity to focus on Arts and Culture as this will create a platform for them to build capacity in the performing arts.
Indeed, it could be argued that very few organisations understand the critical role that youths could play in business sustainability and future growth than MTN foundation does.
What today is known as MTN foundation was established on 11th of May, 2005, the Foundation is funded by up to one percent profit after tax (PAT) from MTN Nigeria and has shown greater passion to institute deeper engagements with the youth across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The foundation understands this connection and its sustainability strategy is underscored by its continued investments in the youth. MTN foundation’s mission is evident in its support for several youth-oriented initiatives alongside its aggressive innovative drive.
In keeping with its passion for youth empowerment under its social investment vehicle, MTN Foundation organised the maiden edition of Theatre for Schools Competition for secondary schools across Nigeria.
The Theatre for Schools competition represents one of MTN foundation’s sustainability initiatives. With a focus on Arts and Culture, aimed at creating a platform for students to build capacity in the performing arts, stimulating public interest in Nigerian Arts and Culture as well as encourage the adoption of theatre from an early age by talented young Nigerians.
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The maiden edition of the competition which drew participants from secondary schools across the country had its regional competitions in Ibadan, Zaria and Port-Harcourt respectively. Idikan Baptist Comprehensive College of Ibadan emerged regional champion from the Ibadan zone while Nigeria Navy Secondary School of Port-Harcourt emerged the regional winners for that zone. Vital Years Secondary Schoolemergedas the eventual national winner from the Zaria zone.
Speaking at the grand finale, NonnyUgboma, executive secretary, MTN Foundation, commended the efforts of the finalists and applauded the stand-out performance of the eventual winner, Vital Years Secondary School.
Ugboma noted that without a doubt, the competition was a keenly contested one and the best team won, adding that the passion, creativity and sheer depth of composure displayed by these students only help to re-confirm that decision of MTN foundation to invest in the grassroots development of local talent was the right economic and human development decision.
According to her, “The 2019 MTN Foundation Theatre for Schools competition was implemented in collaboration with the theatre arts departments of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU); University of Ibadan and the University of Port Harcourt. Each school received state-of-the-art equipment worth two million, five hundred thousand naira (N2, 500,000.00) each to enhance their creative practice”.
Ugbomafurther said the MTN Foundation’s Arts and Culture causes have for the last five years supported shows, plays, musicals and initiatives that aim to tell authentically Nigerian stories.
“Recent productions supported by the Foundation include critically acclaimed shows such as Fela and the Kalakuta Queens, Legends, the Musical, the Life in My City Art Festival in Enugu, Our Son The Minister, the Made in Nigeria Poetry Show and High The Play” she said.
Accompanied by their respective coaching teams, the regional teams arrived Lagos to compete for the one million Naira (N1, 000,000.00) prize money. The keenly contested final saw a great display of budding talents from the young aspiring actors.
The judges were made-up of seasoned theatre practitioners like Bimbo Manuel, Tina Mba, AfeezOyetoro, KemiLalaAkindoju and Patrick Jude Ote who is the artistic director of the Jos Repertory Theatre. Divine Autafrom Vital Years Secondary School emerged the best male thespian, while AbioyeAyomide of Idikan Baptist Comprehensive College of Ibadan was named the female thespian.
As a foundation that is committed to the development of Nigerian youth, MTN foundation recognises education as the bedrock of sustainable development, which is why education is one of its core social investment areas.
The foundation is underscoring its commitment to sustainable development through education by awarding scholarship grants to Nigerian university undergraduates to reward and encourage academic excellence amongst Nigerian undergraduates.
MTNF educational initiatives have seen it provide digital libraries and ICT laboratories to universities and secondary schools, respectively, across the country while empowering others with scholarships in music and science and technology
The MTNF Scholarship Scheme for Blind Students is aimed at providing academic scholarship annually to eligible full-time Blind students in accredited tertiary institutions (universities, polytechnics and colleges of education) across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria.
The MTN Foundation Science and Technology Scholarship (MTNF STS) Scheme, now in its Fifth Phase, was introduced in the 2009/2010 academic session to assist high performing Nigerian students to pursue their academic education in tertiary institutions (Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education) across the country. Each award is worth N200, 000 covering tuition, book allowance and pocket allowance every academic year. Subsequently, the scholarship is renewed annually on the condition that students maintain the required grades.
Under the MTNF STS Scheme 500 top scoring candidates are selected annually as new beneficiaries following an aptitude test set for 2nd-year students who have maintained a 3.5-grade point and above.
This year alone, over 7,800 students applied for a scholarship with their submissions evaluated; and on verification of academic records, 1,500 shortlisted applicants were invited for computer-based aptitude tests in 3 locations across the country.
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The MTNF Science & Technology Laboratory Project is an initiative of the MTN Foundation, which involves the renovation and equipping of laboratories and turning them into state-of-the-art Science laboratories. The project aims to improve learning and practical teaching of core science subjects (i.e. Chemistry, Physics & Biology) in public Secondary schools to enhance students’ academic performances in these subjects.
These initiatives among others are proofs of MTN foundation’s commitment to sustainable development in communities across Nigeria.
It is the belief of stakeholders in the education sector that with intervention such as what MTN foundation is currently undertaking, arts and culture will spur the creative energies of the young people across Nigeria and go a long way to unleashed and help them to discover the beauty of storytelling using play-acting.
