From Francis Nansak, Lafia
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) in partnership with Nasarawa State has begun entrepreneurship training for 70 teachers across the state.
Speaking at the commencement of the three-day training on Tuesday in Lafia, Dr Dikko Rodda, Director-General (DG) and Chief Executive of SMEDAN, said the programme was aimed at stimulating the culture of entrepreneurship in schools.
The DG represented at the occasion by Charity Abbah, North-Central Coordinator of SMEDAN, explained that it was a train-the-training programme which will be stepped down to students.
He noted that the programme was carefully designed to guide the teachers on how to handhold the pupils/students towards their entrepreneurial journey.
The manual for the training includes; “how to become an entrepreneur, identity business opportunities, sales and marketing skills, how to secure capital to start a business.
“Others are, where to do business, how to keep business records, regulatory issues, developing business models and business plans among others,” he said.
The SMEDAN boss said the programme was initiated to prepare the young once to life changing opportunities than to just get a degree certificate only to look for a job.
He added that the agency is optimistic that it would go a long way towards actualising the federal government’s efforts of librating 100 million people out of poverty.
The DG therefore urged the state government to take ownership of the programme and step it down to all primary and secondary schools in the state.
Responding, Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, lauded the agency for the partnership to train teachers on entrepreneurial skills with the view of curtailing poverty, unemployment and restiveness.
He said the programme was apt and in line with the state government development plan as captured in Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy.
He said the government would continue to give priority to human capital development through huge investment in the education sector.
The governor urged all the participants to take the training seriously and step it down in their respective schools.
Earlier, Hajiya Fatu Sabo, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, expressed the government’s determination to partner any group interested in inculcating skills to the people.
The Commissioner said the 70 teachers were drawn from private and public schools across the 13 Local Government Area of the state.
