The UN-SDG Youth International, Nigeria Office, headed by Engr. Ifeanyi Uzoh, on Wednesday 24th January, 2024 held an Education Round-Table to commemorate the UN-International Day of Education, with the theme: Learning for Lasting Peace.
The event was held at the Conference Hall of the National University Commission Headquarters, Maitama, Abuja, with representatives of almost all major regulatory bodies within the Educational Sector in participation, alongside Stakeholders in Education and Youth Development, not leaving out the Press and Media establishments.
The occassion featured a very incisive Panel Discussion having the Representatives of NUC, NCCE and SDG Youth International making insightful interventions on the Thene of the Anniversary.
The event specially featured the official unveiling of the 1st Nigerian Tertiary Institutions Conference on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to be held between April 22 to 25, 2024, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education, National University Commission (NUC), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and The Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Students Affairs.
The component of the unveiled Conference includes a nationwide Students Essay Competition in February 2024, then at the Conference proper, a Technical Session wherein participating Institutions will showcase their achievements towards attainment of the SDGs, while sharing experiences and exchanging knowledge on the Sustainable Development Goals in an Open Mic Session.
The 3-day Conference would climax in an Executive Session to mark the Closing Ceremony, with the Vice Chancellors, Provosts and Rectors of the Institutions, coupled with top Government functionaries, and major player in the Organised Private Sector in attendance.
According to the Nigeria Country Representative, Engr. Ifeanyi Uzoh, who doubles as the African Representative, this Session is said to be designed to witness presentation of Report from the Technical Session, Prizes to the Winners of the Essay Competition and School SDG Projects, concluding in a grand SDG Honours and Award Ceremony for deserving Organisations and Individuals. .
Engr Ifeanyi Uzoh, making remarks at the Round-Table posited that Nigeria was in dire need of functional Education, hence, called on Government to put the necessary machineries in place to achieve proper Education that will in turn lead to lasting peace in the Nation.
In his words “we cannot be talking of achieving SDGs without putting proper templates and measurable guidelines to be able to achieve this SDG goal 4 in particular. Lots of money are being pumped into the educational system of our Nation, and it will be very shameful to say that Nigeria failed to achieve any Goal out of the 17 set agenda, when the SDGs will be rounding off in the next six year”
It was revealed at the unveiling that only Rwanda had been able to host such SDG Conference for Tertiary Institutions, in the whole of Africa, which has put the Country in the list of possible nations to attain some components of the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDG Youth Office Nigeria, promised that Nigeria will host a successful event that will surpass any other held within the Sub-Saharan Region, thereby placing the country on better footing towards attainment of the SDGs.
UN-SDG Youth Office in Nigeria has recorded remarkable achievements since its establishment about a years ago. The Office has embarked on major programs, such as facilitating twelve Nigerian Higher Institutions (Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education) to benefit from One Million US Dollar worth of Solar Energy Installation for each of the Schools, running within the next five years. The Office also had Expert from Korea who came to Nigeria,m to hold robust engagement and sponsoring of Officers from the FRSC, VIO and Fire Service to South Korea for a one week International Training on Smart Fire Extinguisher Project.
Equally arrangements are in top gear by the SDG Youth with the Office of the Honourable Minister of Interior and the Management of the Nigeria Fire Service to establish the NIGERIA YOUTHS VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS PROGRAM, which is envisage to engage about one million Nigerian Youths