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Tag: Teach For Nigeria (TFN)

  • FBNQuest partners Teach for Nigeria to promote educational development in Nigeria

    FBNQuest partners Teach for Nigeria to promote educational development in Nigeria

    FBNQuest, the investment banking and asset management business of FBN Holdings Plc, has partnered with Teach for Nigeria (TFN) to deliver a charity walk to support education for underprivileged children.  

    Teach for Nigeria is a non-profit organisation committed to developing leaders and promoting educational development across the nation by recruiting graduates and professionals to teach in under-served schools as full-time teachers. The walk was organised as a fundraiser to support the provision of academic fees for students in underprivileged communities in Nigeria.

    Access to education is critical for social and economic empowerment, and, unfortunately, financial limitations prevent many children in our community from being educated. The Walk allowed employees to unite to support deserving children and their right to education.

    Commenting on the charity walk, Funke Shobanjo, Head, Strategy, Transformation, People and Brand Management at FBNQuest, stated, “Every child should have the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills that will improve their future. She emphasised the importance of education as a catalyst for growth and development and reiterated the organisation’s commitment to equipping young people with the necessary skills to excel”. 

    “Our ultimate objective is to provide young leaders with enhanced access to opportunities that will contribute to establishing a stable economy. We firmly believe that strategic partnerships are crucial in attaining this objective. The proceeds from the walk will be utilised solely to support underprivileged children in dire need of educational assistance”. She added.

    FBNQuest is dedicated to supporting and enabling education in Nigeria through its education investment products. These products, such as the FBN Education Endowment Plan and Children Education Trust, are designed to secure the future of young adults. Additionally, FBNQuest participates in various initiatives focused on knowledge and skills development, people empowerment, and financial literacy to build future leaders.

  • Teach For Nigeria Graduates Its Fifth Cohort Of Fellows

    Teach For Nigeria Graduates Its Fifth Cohort Of Fellows

    …implemented 87 Be-The-Change projects in 121 schools across Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo States.

    Teach For Nigeria (TFN), a non-profit organisation focused on enlisting Nigeria’s most promising future leaders to improve foundational learning outcomes and expanding life opportunities for low-income children across Nigeria, on Thursday, 3rd August, graduated its fifth cohort of 197 outstanding change makers. The 2023 graduating class implemented 87 “Be The Change” projects which are social innovation projects aimed at addressing some of the systemic challenges affecting quality education delivery in their schools and communities.

    The graduation ceremony, which took place in Lekki, Lagos State had policymakers, industry experts, partners, alumni, and stakeholders in attendance. Frank Nweke, Chairman of ONTV Nigeria Limited, Loi Koiki, Chairman of Greensprings Educational Services Limited, Evang. Joshua Olalekan Ifede, Ogun State TESCOM Chairman, Prof. Abayomi Arigbagbu, Fmr. Commissioner for Education and Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Executive Officer of TFN, Folawe Omikunle, expressed her gratitude to the graduating class for their commitment to various community development projects. “Through 87 impactful Be the Change Projects, they’ve tackled educational challenges, fought for equity, protected the environment, promoted peace, ignited creativity, and fostered innovation for a more sustainable future,” said Folawe. While reacting to Teach for Nigeria’s remarkable impact in improving foundational literacy and numeracy, she highlighted that students in Teach For Nigeria classes made between 2-3 months of additional learning gains in literacy and 2-5 months in numeracy compared to other students.

    Frank Nweke Jnr, Fmr. Federal Minister and Fmr. Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, during his commencement speech, expressed dismay at the quality of education in Nigeria. He however, expressed optimism about the Teach For Nigeria Fellowship program and its potential to address educational inequity challenges in Nigeria. According to him, “The template created here at Teach For Nigeria clearly shows that transforming Nigeria’s education is possible under purposeful leadership.”

    Susan Benjamin, a graduating fellow, while recounting her fellowship experience, said, “Through the Teach For Nigeria Fellowship, I have enhanced my leadership skills by implementing various projects in my placement community. I am now an ambassador for Social Emotional Learning”With the skills and opportunities I have been exposed to, I have rediscovered my sense of purpose and I  remain dedicated to becoming a driving force for positive change in the African educational sector.”

    The graduating cohort served in 121 schools across Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo states, impacting over 50,000 students in underserved communities. Graduating fellows without any teaching qualification pursued a Professional Diploma in Education at Teach for Nigeria partner school, Sikiru Adetona College of Education, Science and Technology Omu – Ajose, formerly Tai Solarin College of Education, through a fully funded scholarship. They were inducted into the teaching profession by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) before the end of their fellowship.

    The 2021 cohort will join the Teach for Nigeria 641 alumni network and continue to deepen their impact on Nigeria’s education based on their deeper understanding of the systemic issues affecting education equity and excellence in Nigeria.

  • Teach For Nigeria hosts a pitch competition for Alumni-led Education focused Initiatives

    Teach For Nigeria hosts a pitch competition for Alumni-led Education focused Initiatives

    Teach For Nigeria (TFN), a non-profit organization dedicated to building a movement of Nigeria’s most promising leaders across the country devoted to eradicating educational inequity, hosted its Incubation Hub Pitch Competition, from which two winners emerged.

    With sponsorship from SNEPCo, the pitch day was hosted as part of Teach For Nigeria’s Incubation Hub Program, earlier launched in July, to support Teach for Nigeria Alumni in the social innovation space with relevant resources needed to drive their initiatives focused on promoting access to education for children in marginalized communities.

    During the event, five of the innovators who had been selected as part of the cohort for the 2022 Incubation Hub had the opportunity to pitch for N1 million in seed funding. These innovators include: Oluwaseun Kayode of Schoolinka, Zainab Akintayo of Smart Garden Concept, Odinakachukwu Nwosu representing VirtualXcursions, Aramide of Talentmine Academy, and Obasanjo Fajemirokun of Brace-Up The Young. Of these five, two- Odinakachukwu Nwosu and Oluwaseun Kayode emerged as winners and were awarded N1 million each to expand their initiatives.

     In her opening speech, Folawe Omikunle, CEO, Teach For Nigeria  said  “Through the Incubation Hub, participants are equipped with the practical knowledge required to build and sustain their social innovations.  This is one of the essentials of building a society where innovation and other creative ideas can be used to develop society and improve the quality of learning.”

    Commenting on his win, “Oluwaseun Kayode, Founder of Schoolinka and a pioneer member of the alumni body said “I came with high hopes for the pitch competition and I believe I have a solid product that the panels found very viable, scalable, sustainable, and  a credible venture worth supporting. Schoolinka intends to intentionally scale to remote communities in the country with limited internet access, including some communities in other African countries.”

    Dr. Isa Omagu, CEO of Premier Advisory Limited, and  a judge at the event noted that “Using social innovations to solve social problems is the way to go. He further noted that the innovators who presented their business ideas had undergone structured business training and understand the business models of to run a sustainable”.

    The Incubation Hub is a 3-month intensive enterprise development training that provides opportunities for TFN alumni to grow and scale their enterprises. Through the Incubation Hub, participants are equipped with the practical knowledge required to build and sustain their social innovations.

  • Teach For Nigeria Inducts Its 6th Cohort of Teaching Fellows

    Teach For Nigeria Inducts Its 6th Cohort of Teaching Fellows

    …trains 319 Fellows to teach in underserved schools

    Teach For Nigeria (TFN), a non-profit organization that is developing leaders to ensure that children in under-served communities can fulfil their potential regardless of their socio-economic background. This year, the Teach for Nigeria Fellows went through a five-week hybrid Training Institute which kicked off virtually on the 31st of July 2022. A two-week residential training at Greensprings School, Lekki Campus, Lagos, followed running from 1st August – 16th August 2022.  

    The Teach For Nigeria Fellowship is a leadership development program that equips Fellows with teaching and leadership skills to effect change in their classrooms and beyond. Every year, Teach For Nigeria recruits promising graduates, engages them through an intensive Pre-Service Training Institute, and then places them in under-served schools where they make a remarkable impact and contribute immensely to changing the trajectory of their learners.

    The guest speaker at the event, Director, Enterprise Development Center of the Pan Atlantic University, Dr. Peter Bamkole, reminded the Fellows that they were on a mission. “When you do what you do with your whole heart,and you can do it for free and you’re still happy, that is not work, that’s a mission,” he said. In addition, Dr. Peter stated that the Fellows were the agents of change who would drive the needed change in the educational sector.

    Blessing Adeyemi, one of the Fellows, delivered a valedictory speech on behalf of the Fellows. In her remarks, she noted  “ we have not just been taught the art of teaching, but there’s been a transference of the heart of collective leadership to a shared vision.

    The Fellows were inducted formally into the Fellowship through a commitment pledge/oath led by the CEO of Teach For Nigeria, Folawe Omikunle. She encouraged Fellows to fully honour this promise that they have made to that one Nigerian child as they enter the classrooms.

    Present at the event was the Executive Chairman, Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, who was represented by the Board Secretary, SUBEB, Mr. Wasiu Kuye. The Honourable Commissioner of Education, Lagos State, Folashade Adefisayo, represented by Dr. Olufunke Oyetola, Tutor General/Permanent Secretary (TGPS), Education District 3 was also in attendance.

    In her goodwill message, the Honourable Commissioner of Education, Lagos State, Folashade Adefisayo, represented by Dr. Olufunke Oyetola, Tutor General/Permanent Secretary (TGPS), Education District 3 charged the Fellows to be change agents. “As you go out today, I want to encourage you to be good ambassadors, be an agent of change because education will take Nigeria to a greater level” She said.

    “You have come, you have seen and you have reconquered. Effecting change, requires time and lasting efforts. You are set for a new journey, new experience, in a new environment which will inform a major part of your decision in life now and beyond the fellowship”  This was the goodwill message from the Executive Chairman, Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, represented by the Board Secretary, SUBEB, Mr. Wasiu Kuye.