JAN Tasks FG on New Education Model

Peace Obi

The Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), an economic empowerment non-governmental organisation, has called on the federal government to adopt its model to support the education system in the country.

The Executive Director of JAN, Mrs. Ehizefua Edeh, made the call at the graduation ceremony of the week-long educational and empowerment camp for 50 girls drawn from private and public schools across the country tagged ‘Leadership, Empowerment, Achievement and Development’ (LEAD Camp).

According to her, JAN has been empowering youths from five to 27 years through its three pillars for success - financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurshipsince 1999.

She said the organisation has a successful track record among youths in the country and encouraged the government to adopt the JAN model, adding that the federal and state governments should expand their curricular to accommodate JAN as a supplementary education model. Edeh also urged governments and private individuals to allow JAN to establish its skills acquisition centres in all schools in their domain to enable it implement the work readiness, financial literacy and empowerment in all schools across the country.

“I guarantee that the quality of life of Nigerian youths will improve within 10 years once government adopts Junior Achievement Nigeria’s supplementary education model in all schools across Nigeria.”

She said the organisation has been in existence since 1999 and has reached over 650,000 students in over 750 schools in 29 locations across the country with the support of 1,000 volunteers, adding that as a part of 121 county global network, JAN is able to leverage and deliver unique experiential programmes.

The executive director disclosed that the LEAD Camp, which was sponsored by Union Bank, will not end with the graduation of the 2016 set, but that they have been inducted into an alumni with participants of previous LEAD Camps.

She said there is also a JAN Club through which the students are mentored and given empowerment tools that would enhance their aspirations, adding that every initiative that the girls have come up with during the LEAD Camp will be followed up through mentoring.