Skills Aqusition: FG donates 50 tablets to students in Abuja

The Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, Ms Abiola Arogundade, on Thursday donated 50 tablets to selected students of Government Secondary School, Tudun-Wada, Abuja.

The donation was made in partnership with Afrifone Ltd, an indigenous manufacturing company focused on technological innovation in Nigeria.

This is the second in a series of presentations of gadgets for secondary school students in the FCT by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education.

Speaking at the event, Madam Arogundade stated that the gesture is part of efforts to promote skills acquisition among young people, enabling them to become self-employed upon graduation.

According to her, the primary aim is to integrate practical skills into the country’s education system, fostering competitiveness in the rapidly changing global, technology-driven economy.

In her words, “The President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, had at the beginning of this administration, mandated relevant Federal Government agencies, including my office, to train no less than five million Nigerians annually in diverse skills, not only to make them employable but also enable them to be self-employed after graduation. It is one of the pillars of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Today’s donation, therefore, is to empower the students to develop their technical and vocational skills in line with that Presidential mandate. It is the second in a series, which we began last July, aimed at stimulating innovation in technical, vocational, and entrepreneurship education among the youth. The overall objective is to change our education system from high-percentage theory to high-percentage practical. We must do this in order to remain competitive in the fast-changing global technology-based economy.

“We decided to start with carefully selected Junior Secondary School students of this institution in order to encourage high performance. Let me, however, assure the others who will not benefit today that we will return in the near future to encourage them as well, in line with the same mandate of the President that no one should be left behind.”

She urged the beneficiaries to use the opportunity and advance their future towards self-reliance even before graduation from higher institutions.

Also speaking, the representative of Afrifone Ltd, Judith Okafor, expressed the organization’s commitment to supporting the country’s entrepreneurship programme, especially among youths.

“Afrifone Ltd will be empowering some talented technical students with our state-of-the-art Afrifone Tablets, which function as mini laptops, providing these young minds with the tools they need to thrive in the digital age.

“But our commitment doesn’t stop there. Afrifone Ltd is not just providing hardware; we can offer comprehensive technical and skill acquisition training. This training will equip our youth with the knowledge and expertise needed to not only use technology but to innovate and create with it. We believe that by nurturing these skills, we are laying the foundation for a new generation of Nigerian tech entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

“Our partnership with the Federal Government aligns perfectly with our company’s vision of a technologically empowered Nigeria. By combining the government’s reach and resources with Afrifone’s technological expertise and training capabilities, we will be creating a powerful synergy that will drive real change in our society.

“This initiative is just the beginning. We at Afrifone Ltd see it as a stepping stone towards a broader goal of technological self-reliance for Nigeria. By manufacturing these devices locally and training our youth to use and innovate with them, we are reducing our dependence on foreign technology and creating a sustainable ecosystem of innovation right here at home.

“We call upon other private sector players to join us in this noble cause. Together, we can create more opportunities for our youth, drive innovation, and position Nigeria as a technological powerhouse in Africa and beyond.

“To the students who will be receiving our Afrifone Tablets, you are the future of this nation. We believe in your potential, and we are invested in your success. Use these tools wisely, learn voraciously, and don’t be afraid to push the boundaries of what’s possible,” she added.