The Kano State Government has reiterated its commitment to collaborate with UNESCO and the Republic of Korea on technical and vocational education through the Better Education for Africa’s Rise (BEAR III) initiative.
State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Ali Makoda, made this known on Wednesday during a meeting with the project’s technical team in Kano. He was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Bashir Muhammad.
Makoda explained that the BEAR III programme aligns with the state government’s vision of equipping young people with practical, market-driven skills that promote innovation and job creation. He noted that discussions at the meeting—focused on crop value chains and institutional capacity assessments—would help Kano position itself to maximize the project’s benefits.
The commissioner praised UNESCO and the Korean government for supporting efforts to strengthen Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the state, describing the collaboration as a clear sign of their commitment to boosting local economic activities.
“This project is not just about education; it is about empowering our youths, enhancing their livelihoods, and driving sustainable growth. Kano is ready to work with UNESCO and the Republic of Korea to expand technical and vocational training, particularly in our technical colleges,” he said.
Makoda expressed optimism that the technical team would agree on priority crops for agro-processing as well as the most suitable institutions for implementation.
Presenting an overview of the programme, BEAR III Regional Coordinator, Manish Joshi, explained that its central goal is to equip young people with technical and transferable skills that will improve their chances of securing decent employment through a stronger TVET system.
He highlighted progress made so far, including needs assessments across technical colleges, a seminar on enhancing work-based learning and apprenticeships in agriculture and technology, and a strategic roundtable on career guidance and counselling.
Also speaking, the Director of Technology at the Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Muyibat Olodo, said the meeting was designed to align technical inputs and chart a path towards strengthening skills, transforming agriculture, and expanding opportunities for young people.
In his remarks, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Prof. Idris Bugaje—represented by Prof. Diyauddeen Hassan—reaffirmed the board’s readiness to support the project by developing context-specific curricula.
“We are focusing on curricula that best reflect Kano’s needs, especially in areas such as irrigation, which hold great potential for economic growth,” Bugaje said.