Learning: FCTA, UK boost partnership on entrepreneurial education

By Stanley Onyekwere

To support entrepreneurship education in secondary schools across the FCT, Brunel University, United Kingdom and the FCT Administration have agreed to strengthen their partnership.

Recall that a team from the Brunel Business School and the FCT Education Secretariat, visited some schools across the FCT to observe for themselves the inventions displayed by the students.

It was gathered that the visit is in continuation of the partnership between FCT Secondary School Education Board, SEB, and the Brunel University Business School which began about five months ago when members of the board visited the institution on a training programme.

Apparently impressed by the presentations, the FCT SEB and Brunel University management agreed on a formation of an innovative team and sent the team to see for itself to Nigeria.

The team led by the Director Brunel Businesses School, Ben Botes, visited Government Secondary School Bwari, Government Girls Secondary School, Dutse, Government Secondary School and Junior Secondary School, Gwagwalada, Government Science Secondary School, Tungamaje, and Glisten International Academy, Jahi, where students displayed entrepreneurship skills vocational trade subjects including electrical installations, dieing and bleaching, cosmetology, marketing, animal husbandry, catering and craft.

The Director Brunel Businesses school Mr. Ben Botes who was satisfied by the presentation said, the partnership will open more opportunities.

“Each School we’ve visited so far has determination for entrepreneurship. The partnership enables knowledge transfer, access to network, access to additional resources to support the teachers.”

Also, the Director FCT Secondary School Secondary Education Board Malam Sani Ladan believes that, the partnership will bring about opening of entrepreneurship centers by the Brunel university business school in Abuja, Nigeria.

“What we expects at the end of the day is the strengthening of the collaboration and opening of the Nigeria – Brunel entrepreneurship centers both in the UK and Nigeria.”

The highlight of the visit is the signing of memorandum and commissioning of FCT SEB / Brunel Open Innovation Impact Centre.

The team also paid a courtesy call on the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday when the minister noted that entrepreneurial skills was key to youth development in the FCT.

Wike, who was represented by the Minister of State FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, noted that the administration was focused on building a productive society as, “youth entrepreneurship is key to reducing unemployment rates and provide sustained livelihood opportunities which is one of Mr President Renewed Hope Agenda.”

According to him,”We are talking about entrepreneurship, and then this is where we are talking about the “Catch Them Young”. The youths are the largest population, and then they need the support. The earlier we do it, the better.

“Most of our pupils, or our children, are blessed with different talents that if we don’t explore, we will not be able to get good out of them.

“I consider this courtesy visit very important because our partners are ready to collaborate with us. I think this is an opportunity that we will not relent or hesitate to really do all that is necessary for us to achieve the goal”.

Earlier, the team lead and Dean Brunel Business School, Prof. Ashley Brangaza, stated that the delegation came to Abuja to evaluate the level of entrepreneurship skills among secondary school students with a view to supporting the FCT Administration to develop the youths.