EU, UN enroll 22,000 for adult education in Ebonyi, NDE trains 3,700 in Anambra

Over 22,000 women, girls and young men were drawn from 102 communities in Ebonyi State have been enrolled for adult education by the European Union and United Nations in an effort to eliminate any form of violence against women and girls in Nigeria.

The programme is being implemented by Education Today for Sustainable Development and Initiative and Grassroots Entrepreneurship Skills Acquires in collaboration with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

The acting Director, Senior Programme Specialist and OIC UNESCO regional office Abuja, Mr Sow Mamadou, revealed this during his visit to the state.

He said: “Over 22,000 women and girls, young men and boys (17,942 women and girls and 4,142 men and boys) have been enrolled for various adult literacy classes and life skill programmes in 102 communities in Abakaliki, Ezza, Onicha and Ohaozara local government areas in the state.”

He stated that UNESCO had developed Family Life Health Education (FLHE)facilitators manual and reviewed adult literacy primers in the state to fast-track literacy by the radio programme.

According to him, 50,000 notebooks, 48,000 pen/pencils, 2,000 face masks, 500 bottles of hand sanitiser and 1,000 pieces of reusable sanitary pads have been provided for the learners and to support government’s effort in protecting and containing the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

“UNESCO in collaboration with Ebonyi State Agency for Mass Literacy Education procured equipment such as sewing machines, motorbikes and other learning materials for skill acquisition programme for women and girls in the state.”

The Deputy Governor, kelechi Igwe, promised that the state government’s support for UNESCO’s programmes in the country.

Meanwhile, the National Directorate of Employment(NDE) has commenced training of 3,700 retirees, university graduates and school leavers in agribusiness through its programme, Sustainable Agricultural Development Training Scheme (SADTS), in Anambra State.

Addressing the participants in Awka yesterday, the Anambra State NDE Coordinator, Mrs. Chika Ufelle, said 100 of them were drawn from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Ufelle said the participants would be trained in crop production, livestock management, micro-livestock management, food processing, preservation and storage, agro-services and farm mechanisation.

The Director, Anambra State Ministry of Agriculture, Sir Emeka Okolie, advised the participants to take advantage of the training to develop themselves.