How Wale Akinyanmi and MSTP are initiating a skills revolution from Ondo State across Africa  

Often celebrated for its rich cultural tapestry, abundant natural resources, and resilient people, Africa is at a crossroads. Despite its potential, it continues to grapple with challenges that hinder its progress and development. One of the most pressing of these challenges is the continuously increasing rate of unemployment amidst global inflationary trends.

By the day, the data keeps getting frightening. In 2023, Statista reported Africa as the continent with the youngest population with over 400 million youths while the International Labour Organization said more than 72 million African youth lack education, employment, or training (ILO, 2023).  AFDB puts the figure of youth that enter the workforce each year at only 3.1 million, leaving vast numbers of youth unemployed.

With a steady increase in the population of youth in Africa, if significant and decisive actions are not taken, the implication of this grim situation is the reality of an impending rise in poverty and social menace as is being experienced presently in the different continents. Africa needs an urgent response that will create job opportunities for the youth to curb the increasing rate of public disorder and delinquency.

Dateline 2024, one out of seven Africans is reportedly a Nigerian. The reality therefore is that Nigeria is a realistic place to start waging a battle against this malaise sweeping through Africa. The Multi-Skills Teenpreneurship Program, (MSTP) is an intervention in the educational system aimed at empowering teenagers with the life skills and knowledge they need to become successful entrepreneurs. The MSTP is facilitated by the Accent-Spring Development Initiative (ASDI) with technical support and funding from Lend-A-Hand India, (LAHI).

MSTP which is currently running its pilot phase in nine secondary schools across the three senatorial districts of Ondo State in Nigeria has the ultimate goal running the program across Africa, targeting teenagers in secondary school between the ages of 12 and 19, advancing their interest in entrepreneurship and vocational education. The nine secondary school beneficiaries of the MSTP pilot phase include:

• St. Louis Girls Grammar School, Akure
• Independence Grammar School, Ondo
• Imade College, Owo
• Springtide Secondary School, Igbatoro, Akure
• Greater Tomorrow, Arigidi-Akoko
• Oyenusi Grammar School, Ode-Irele
• Anglican Grammar School, Igbara-Oke
• Manuwa Memmorial Gramma School, Iju-Ode
• Gboluji Grammar School, Ile-Oluji

 

MSTP Africa goes beyond traditional education. It equips teenagers with the knowledge and tools to become self-employed entrepreneurs. The program focuses on practical, hands-on learning, allowing students to explore various vocational trades and concentrate on the five thematic areas which are Workshop & Engineering Techniques, Energy & Environment, Gardening, Nursery & Agriculture Techniques, Food Processing Techniques, and Introduction to Entrepreneurship which helps the students turn the skills acquired into profit.

The emphasis of MSTP Africa is on creating well-rounded individuals. Students gain practical skills and problem-solving abilities, increased high school graduation rates, interest in technical education and vocational courses, and this holistic approach prepares students for a future filled with opportunities.

MSTP is more than just a programme, it catalyses change. It aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

• SDG 4: Quality Education: Providing practical skills and knowledge.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: Equipping both genders equally with the same skills and knowledge.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: Fostering entrepreneurship and job creation.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Promoting technical skills and innovation.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: Emphasizing sustainable agriculture and food processing practices.

MSTP is equipping and empowering teens with hands-on training for self-reliance. More than 600 Junior Secondary School 2 students have been trained and reached during its first year. For the second year, the program is expanding to reach 2,000 teenagers in JSS2 and JSS3 with a robust internship program that will connect graduates with industry partners. The MSTP alumni will have access to scholarships, refresher courses, and networking opportunities to enhance their career choices and employability in life.

Speaking to The Podium International Magazine, Wale Akinyanmi, the CEO of MSTP Africa, listed the benefits of the MSTP project as follows:

1) The Multi-skill nature of the program helps students to select a choice of his/her future specialization. They become a jack of all skills and are thereby also enabled to select a preferred one for the future.

2) The variety of experiences students get during the Multi-Skill-Teenpreneurship training stimulates their intellect and prepares them for self-sustenance.

3) The multidisciplinary knowledge helps the student to appreciate underlying principles and processes and apply that knowledge to life.

4) Every student learns the basics of agricultural practice and thereby contributes to national food security.

5) The program promotes interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge and sustenance with appreciation for other fields. Every student has basic knowledge of electricity, food processing, agriculture, and even construction. This helps our youth to become self-reliant under adverse conditions. For instance, a fabricator who gets orders for the construction of poultry will be in a better position to serve his client if he knows the basics of poultry.

Speaking on the contents and teaching methods, Wale insisted that the learning system in the Multi-Skill Teenpreneurship Program is the hands-on approach tagged – ‘Learning while doing’. Students learn all principles and theoretical components by experience in real-life work situations. He added: “our emphasis is on ‘Real life work’ and the process of knowledge acquisition is centered on the value of work and productivity”.

Conclusively, MSTP Africa is a beacon of hope for Ondo State’s youth and Africa at large by providing them with the skills and knowledge to become self-employed entrepreneurs, the program empowers them to build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.