NYCN preaches self-reliance to FCT students

The National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), under its Directorate of Education, has sensitised secondary school students in the FCT on entrepreneurship at an event tagged “Abuja School Festival.’’

The theme of the event, “Diversifying the Nigerian economy through education on entrepreneurship activities’’, brought together ten students from 25 different schools in Abuja municipality to exhibit their entrepreneurial skills.

According to Comrade Nnadi Oputa, the Welfare Officer in the Directorate of Education and training under NYC, the aim of the event was to encourage students to be self-independent through their talents.

Oputa, in his welcome speech, said that the Abuja School Festival was an annual event and the first of its kind in the history of the National Youth Council of Nigeria.

He said the event was a gathering of various schools to value the art and science of practical entrepreneurship, which will solve most of the problems rocking the society.

The Welfare Officer stressed that entrepreneurship was made the focal point in order to draw more attention and value to the educational sector “because it gives rise to quality teaching  and learning’’.

Oputa also said that skills were learnt so as to use its practical understanding to solve societal problems, and with time these are solutions are modified to fit current situation of our society.

He said engaging students in academic entrepreneurship activities that seem to be their passion will make them more productive.

“This will also promote the mindset of an entrepreneur in these students at the tender age, even to the extent of reducing unemployment and inequality in our society,’’ he said

Organisers of the event expect that at the end of the programme, more schools are expected to improve on the skills and crafts of entrepreneurship.

The say that hopefully more students will declare interest with enthusiasm in various fields of entrepreneurship, and more attention to be given to the education sector, including teachers’ welfare.

According to them, more jobs will be created from various inventions exhibited from the event.

The keynote speaker, Mrs Ani Ayeni admonished the students on time management, responsibility and true learning.

The Chairman of the event, Abubakar Sadiq, corroborated the speech of the keynote speaker, advising the students to stay true to their passion.