International organisations have been and still are eager initiators of the execution of programmes and the establishment of educational institutions of all levels and types in different parts of the country.
This role is evident in the supply of teachers and experts to institutions of learning (like the supply of French teachers to a college of education in Ijebu-Ode by Alliance Française); the provision of loans and grants as exemplified in the World Bank loan of $120million to support education; and the supply of equipment and teaching materials such as the 1948 case when the British Council and other agencies gave the University of Ibadan its first set of books as well as another witnessed by this writer in 2006 when a foreign body sent a large number of textbooks to Queen’s College, Lagos.
Granting of scholarship and fellowship awards to students and staff of schools respectively; enabling of student and staff exchange programmes such as organised by Association Internationale des Étudiantes en Sciences Économiques et Commerciales (AIESEC); sponsorship of research activities; and active support for programmes initiated by bodies like the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) fall here. United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UNESCO aided the FME when it conducted a nationwide achievement test for pupils, using the Monitoring of Learning Achievement measurement instrument, from 1995 to 1997 (Aderinoye, 2002). The MacArthur Foundation is currently working with the University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University, and University of Port Harcourt to strengthen them and bolster reforms, in conjunction with the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa, which it launched in 2000 with the Carnegie Corporation and the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations. Mellon and Hewitt Foundations joined in 2005.
The training of local personnel in workshops, programmes, seminars and conferences is organised by bodies like the European Union and the World Bank. A good example can be cited from the regional conference held annually by UNESCO and the international experts it sends to share know-how in “train-the-trainers” programmes.
Alani (2000) mentions the sad fact that the emphasis placed on science, technical and vocational education is more on paper than in practise. Lamenting the dearth of science-oriented candidates in educational institutions, he points out that without adequate teachers to teach these subjects at all levels, the realisation of the present goals of education will be “an illusion”. UNESCO has stepped in to save the day with its Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) Revitalisation Project.
They do extensive research in order to evaluate implemented programmes and government’s effort in HCD. UNDP does an annual ranking using human development index (HDI) and in 2002
Developing
International agencies have helped immensely to develop
USAID supports human and institutional capacity development programs. From 2000 to 2006, the United States (U.S.) invested $22.7million in higher education partnerships between African and
v align key curricula with the skill demanded by the Nigerian private sector;
v foster a sense of obligation in tomorrow's leaders to play an active role in
v provide valuable and challenging internships to talented, high performing students and increase employment, incomes and productivity of UNILAG graduates through strengthened technology skills.
Created in December 1946 by the United Nations to provide assistance to European children facing famine and disease, UNICEF soon extended its mandate. In October 1953, the first basic agreement was signed with
As reports revealed widespread malnutrition among children, UNICEF started providing skimmed milk to underfed children. Research was carried out to better understand its prevalence, causes and prevention. A Department of Food Science and Nutrition was established in the
UNICEF has provided support for textbook production. Activities are related to adult education in the field of home improvement, sewing and embroidery, cooking, child care and income earning skills. At the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000, Heads of States and Governments adopted the Millennium Declaration and what is now known as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) each of which is linked to the well-being of children. The current programme of cooperation between UNICEF and
UNESCO’s Section for Technical and Vocational Education, in cooperation with NBTE, is currently implementing a project that aims to better equip large numbers of young Nigerians for the world of work. Following the success in the first phase of the UNESCO-Nigeria Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) Revitalisation Project, NBTE and UNESCO, have commenced the second phase of the project. The project was unveiled at a five-day 'Train-the-Trainers Workshop for Core Team of Trainers for Staff Development Centres’, held at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) in Lagos (in August, 2008), with the aim to, among others, support the training and development of TVE managers, review and update the TVE curricula for new disciplines and introduce Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education in all aspects of TVE. The project would also complement the efforts of the FME in enhancing Technical Education system to meet 21st century socio-economic needs of
UNESCO National Education Support Strategy (UNESS) for
v Building learning communities;
v Developing competencies for quality human resources for youth and adults;
v Strengthening institutional capacity for ownership and sustainability; and
v Advocacy, development coordination and resource mobilization.
d. International Labour Organisation (ILO)
In 2003, the ILO initiated a technical cooperation against human trafficking in
e. The World Bank
Investing in people is at the centre of the Bank's work and one of its fastest growing areas of activities. Lending for human capital development has increased by more than fivefold since the early 1980s. Loans totalling $35billion have been extended to more than 100 countries for education, health, population, and nutrition programs since the first was approved in 1962. The World Bank is now the world's single largest provider of external financing for human capital development. Its activities have entailed analysis and synthesis of best practices on decentralization of the financing and implementation of Bank-supported rural development activities. The International Development Agency (IDA) is the Bank’s interest-free lending arm for the poorest countries. The
The Bank has strengthened the policy dialogue, analytical and advisory assistance, as well as increased financial support to
Conclusion
In 2003, the World Bank report classified Nigerian graduates as unemployable and the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities did not list any of its universities among the first 4,000. Mrs. Vivian Abii, Executive Director, Zinox Technologies expressed the opinion that this background provoked the launching of the University Strengthening for Improved Employability Project (referred to earlier in this paper). For UNILAG, honour came coasting home in March, 2008, when it took delivery of major projects that would enhance teaching and prepare students for future employment challenges. USAID, British American Tobacco (BAT), Microsoft Nigeria, Ocean Energy, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Zinox Technologies came together in partnership with UNILAG in the interest of curricular development, capacity building and empowerment of the students for employable positions after graduation donating 362 personal computers for the faculty of Business Administration, and another 362 for the computer science department at the cost of about N34 million. They provided computer labs, modern lecture theatres, technical support and hands-on experience.
References
Abdulhamid, Y. (2008). N696 billion Foreign Aid in 8 Years”. Article in Daily Trust Newspaper,
UNESCO (2000). EFA 2000 Assessment: Report of
