The National Commission for Nomadic Education (NCNE) has begun a three-day training for 120 extension agents on modern entrepreneurship and technical skills’ acquisition to empower communities.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bashir Usman, speaking at the event on Monday in Kano, said that the training was aimed at providing sustainable livelihood for the people.
He said that it was part of the commission’s efforts to promote the delivery of relevant and functional skills, extension education and services to nomadic pastoralist communities across the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training with the theme: “Capacity development for extension agents”, is holding at Green Desert Palm Hotel at Hajj Camp, Kano.
Usman represented by the Director, Quality Assurance in the NCNE, Mr Akin Akinyosoye, said that the selected extension workers were carefully chosen using the participatory needs assessment techniques.
“The commission’s initiative of training the agents on skills’ acquisition and sustainable livelihood will go a long way in reducing poverty percentage of many rural societies.
“It will also reduce restiveness, social vices such as cattle rustling, and kidnapping, rural banditry and incessant conflicts leading to wanton destruction of lives and property.
“Monitoring and communicating education issues to communities and to local government are the key roles of extension agents, “he said.
Usman, who harped on the relevance of new skills, said that they would enable better understanding of community needs and aspirations.
He said that it would also help to create what he termed “social capital”, drive social transformation, build trusts and empower communities.
The NCNE boss, therefore, urged the participants to improve the way schools operate and support government in its responsibility of ensuring quality education for all.
Also speaking, Prof.Gidado Tahir, the chairman of the governing board of the commission, said that the training would provide practical and relevant approaches to help participants’ step- down the training to nomadic communities.
The Director for Water Shield, Musa Shuaibu, who represented the Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Kabiru Getso, commended the NCNE for the efforts.
He urged the participants to make use of the skills they would acquire from the training to transform lives within their communities.
Commenting on the training, a participant, Tijjani Dabo, from Gaya Local Government Area, was hopeful that the training would help him reach out to nomads in his community and enroll them in schools.(NAN)
