The Tertiary Education Trust Fund has expressed readiness to establish a “learn to work” initiative in Nigerian campuses in collaboration with industry partners to provide employment opportunities for Nigerian students while studying in schools.
The scheme which will link qualified students with industries globally, could guarantee their employment as soon as they graduate from tertiary institutions as being practiced in the developed part of the world.
In a statement signed by the Fund’s Director of Public Affairs, AbdulMumin Oniyangi, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono revealed this at a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students in Abuja, on Monday.
Echono, who described the scheme as “a big programme coming to campuses” said the programme will ensure that while students are undergoing their respective academic programmes, they would be given an opportunity to be trained in various areas of ICT, and technology, and also be attached to global companies so that they can get outsourcing work whilst in school.
According to him, students from countries such as Vietnam, India, Cambodia, China and others were already enjoying the programme, adding that 24 million Indian students are earning these funds while in school.
He explained that the Learn to work scheme will provide opportunities for Nigerian students to be able, even in the course of their work, earn a living and to be guaranteed employment immediately they finish their school.
The TETFund boss also noted that the government recently launched the student loan scheme because it felt that no Nigerian student should drop out of school because of the economic circumstances of the parents.
He further stated that once the scheme is launched, the partners will visit institutions and administer aptitude tests on students to select those who can meet their criteria for selection before engaging them in training.
According to him, the training will be on over 40 disciplines, where they have designed curriculum standardised and tied it to the needs of the particular sector and industry, adding that many companies around the globe today are having issues around hiring.
Speaking on universities’ revenue, he described the education sector as a social sector and not a revenue-generating sector, stressing that they do not have IGR.
Speaking on the provision of electricity on the campuses, he said TETFund has commenced conversations, with relevant stakeholders such as the Ministry of Power to find a way to address the issue of power supply in its beneficiary institutions.