EU announces €40m education, empowerment fund in Northwest

The European Union (EU)has launched a €4O million intervention programme on education and youth empowerment in North Western Nigeria through the Global Gateway initiative.

The EU has also announced the investment of an additional €5.4 million euros in building the capacity of teachers in the region.

The aim is to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the Northwest region of Nigeria by improving access to quality education and empowering youths in the region.

Jutta Urpilainen, the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, disclosed in Abuja at the official launch of the €40 million programme.

According to her, the additional fund was to ensure teachers get the necessary and upgraded skills and learning needed to nurture students armed with the requisite knowledge to become an army of solutions to the many challenges confronting Nigeria and the continent in general.

“This component is complemented by a 5.4 million euros separate programme that we signed today, which is dedicated to teachers for aiming to build their resilience and capacity in challenging environments. We have to remember that there is no education without teachers and that’s why we also have to invest in teacher training”, she said.

“The third objective of our program is really that it empowers youth with the skills they need, providing vocational education as promoting behavioral change campaigns to challenge harmful social norms and empower girls”, she added.
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Urpilainen further added that the European Union was equally out to provide vocational education and training for Nigerian youths in order to equip them with the necessary skills required to excel in the Labour market.

“This ambitious programme launched today has been designed with Nigerian authorities to ensure the ownership and an adequate response to the local needs. The EU is not only targeting the youth through this specific programme, but it is also bringing the youth to the driving seat and this is why as the EU, we set up the Youth Sounding Board, also here in Nigeria, as well as in many countries to make sure that what we do is for the youth but also by the youth.

“We have to include young people in the decision making, we have to create spaces and structures where young people feel that they are visible and they watch this and this is precisely what the European Union is doing.”

Urpilainen noted that Nigeria was not only the economic powerhouse on the continent and the most populous country in Africa, but the country was also a strategic partner of the EU in the West region.

While describing education as the most transformative sector with the ability to change the fortunes of a country, she noted that the program would focus on lifting out-of-school children off the streets to get the required education, especially girls through various components aimed at achieving one objective; access to quality education and youth empowerment.

Speaking on behalf of the Northwestern states, Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi who appreciated the EU for helping the region tackle the menace of out-of-school children, said they were committed to making education in their respective states a priority and have decided to invest heavily in the sector.

“The Northwestern states have the highest population in the country, we are more disadvantaged when it comes to education so this support is coming at the right time.

“This support has come at the right time and I assure you that this support will go a long way in helping us to revamp education in our various states”, he said.

On his part, Tahir Mamman, minister of Education, warned that any attempt to downplay education would cost the country a fortune in terms of welfare and security.

” If our youths are not properly catered for, trained, and empowered, we are toying with the future of the country. Not catering to them will allow poverty to grow, insecurity to foster.”

Mamman who urged state governors to focus on prioritising education and youth empowerment, disclosed that the soon-to-be-released education sector roadmap covers the same objectives of the European Union in revamping the sector.

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On Sat, 21 Oct 2023, 11:15 Temi Bamgbose, wrote:
EU announces €40m education, empowerment fund in Northwest

By Godsgift Onyedinefu, Abuja

The European Union (EU)has launched a €4O million intervention programme on education and youth empowerment in North Western Nigeria through the Global Gateway initiative.

The EU will also announce the investment of an additional €5.4 million euros in building the capacity of teachers in the region.

The aim is to reduce the number of out-of-school children in the Northwest region of Nigeria by improving access to quality education and empowering youths in the region.

Jutta Urpilainen, the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, disclosed in Abuja at the official launch of the €40 million programme.

According to her, the additional fund was to ensure teachers get the necessary and upgraded skills and learning needed to nurture students armed with the requisite knowledge to become an army of solutions to the many challenges confronting Nigeria and the continent in general.

“This component is complemented by a 5.4 million euros separate programme that we signed today, which is dedicated to teachers for aiming to build their resilience and capacity in challenging environments. We have to remember that there is no education without teachers and that’s why we also have to invest in teacher training”, she said.

“The third objective of our program is really that it empowers youth with the skills they need, providing vocational education as promoting behavioral change campaigns to challenge harmful social norms and empower girls”, she added.

Urpilainen further added that the European Union was equally out to provide vocational education and training for Nigerian youths in order to equip them with the necessary skills required to excel in the Labour market.

“This ambitious programme launched today has been designed with Nigerian authorities to ensure the ownership and an adequate response to the local needs. The EU is not only targeting the youth through this specific programme, but it is also bringing the youth to the driving seat and this is why as the EU, we set up the Youth Sounding Board, also here in Nigeria, as well as in many countries to make sure that what we do is for the youth but also by the youth.

“We have to include young people in the decision making, we have to create spaces and structures where young people feel that they are visible and they watch this and this is precisely what the European Union is doing.”

Urpilainen noted that Nigeria was not only the economic powerhouse on the continent and the most populous country in Africa, but the country was also a strategic partner of the EU in the West region.

While describing education as the most transformative sector with the ability to change the fortunes of a country, she noted that the program would focus on lifting out-of-school children off the streets to get the required education, especially girls through various components aimed at achieving one objective; access to quality education and youth empowerment.

Speaking on behalf of the Northwestern states, Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi who appreciated the EU for helping the region tackle the menace of out-of-school children, said they were committed to making education in their respective states a priority and have decided to invest heavily in the sector.

“The Northwestern states have the highest population in the country, we are more disadvantaged when it comes to education so this support is coming at the right time.

“This support has come at the right time and I assure you that this support will go a long way in helping us to revamp education in our various states”, he said.

On his part, Tahir Mamman, minister of Education, warned that any attempt to downplay education would cost the country a fortune in terms of welfare and security.

” If our youths are not properly catered for, trained, and empowered, we are toying with the future of the country. Not catering to them will allow poverty to grow, insecurity to foster.”

Mamman who urged state governors to focus on prioritising education and youth empowerment, disclosed that the soon-to-be-released education sector roadmap covers the same objectives of the European Union in revamping the sector.