UNICEF Commences Training Of 4,800 Out-Of-School Youths In Borno

March 11, (THEWILL) – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Monday, said 4,800 out-of-school youths and adolescents will be trained in the next two years to address unemployment in Borno State.

UNICEF Chief of Maiduguri Field Office, Phuong Nguyen, stated this during the flag-off ceremony for the training of the first batch of one thousand youths at the vocational enterprise institute in Muna, Jere Local Government Area.

Represented by Emmanuel Sesay, the Officer in charge, Nguyen explained that the training, under the Safe, Inclusive Learning Skills for All (SILSA) funded by the Government of Norway, is aimed at improving the learning skills of vulnerable youth in areas of technical and vocational skills to enable them to become self-reliant.

“Through the funding from the Government of Norway, UNICEF will be supporting the Borno State Government to train 4,800 adolescents/out-of-school youth by 2025.

“Out of this number, 3,200 beneficiaries will be trained in 2024 while the remaining 1,600 out-of-school youths will have their capacity built in 2025.

“Through the funding from the Government of Norway, UNICEF will be supporting Borno State Government through the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to train the youth in foundational literacy and numeracy, digital and job-specific skills,” she said.

The UNICEF Chief assured that each of the beneficiaries will be provided with starter packs after graduation to enable them to pursue their education and engage in businesses to build their career.

The Borno State Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Alhaji Lawan Wakilbe, represented by Hajiya Ya Karu Mustapha, said the participants were selected from three local government areas of Bama, Mafa and Jere.

He remarked that the youth will undergo three months of training in trades such as tailoring, barbing, hairdressing, welding, and aluminium fabrication among others.

Wakilbe urged the trainees to be focused and ensure regular attendance to acquire skills that will transform their lives.