YabaTech To Empower Lagos Girl-Child With Tech Skills In Partnership With WAPA

Lagos, Nigeria–Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) is set to significantly boost the skills of young women in Lagos State through a new partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA).

The collaboration will provide crucial technology training to 5,000 girls via YABATECH’s All Girls’ Tech Hub, a key component of the Girls Education Skills Partnership (GESP).

The three-month program will offer training in high-demand areas: mobile app development, web application development, computer repairs, and GSM phone repairs.

Upon completion, participants will receive the globally recognized National Skill Qualification (NSQ) certification.

The announcement followed a courtesy visit by YABATECH Rector, Dr. Engr. Ibraheem Abdul, to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Honourable Cecilia Bolaji Dada.

Dr. Abdul highlighted the college’s commitment to community development and poverty alleviation through skill acquisition, emphasising the symbiotic relationship this partnership offers.

“We are keen to form a functional collaboration with the Ministry to align our goals with theirs,” Dr. Abdul stated. He underscored YABATECH’s experience in delivering impactful skills training programs, citing successful partnerships with organisations like the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) in Canada and UNICEF, which have already enabled the college to train 5,000 girls in ICT skills at no cost.

To ensure the program’s accessibility, YABATECH is actively seeking further partnerships to subsidise training costs. The college leverages its robust facilities, including a work-based learning center in Computer Village funded by the Tertiary Institution Trust Fund (TETFund) and its collaboration with Computer Village itself, to provide hands-on, practical experience.

Dr. Abdul also emphasised the importance of gender-sensitive pedagogy, advocating for Lagos teachers to undergo YABATECH’s gender bias elimination training.

Commissioner Dada expressed enthusiastic support for the initiative, confirming that these skills are currently unavailable at the ministry’s 19 skills acquisition centers.

She pledged to actively promote the program to ensure wide participation and offered to facilitate the involvement of YABATECH staff in community service projects within the ministry.

This collaboration marks a significant step towards empowering the girl-child in Lagos State, equipping them with valuable technological skills and paving the way for brighter futures.

The partnership between YABATECH and WAPA promises a substantial impact on poverty alleviation and gender equality in the region.

*Credible News