Three schools in Anambra State have been rewarded by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) for emerging winners in the annual Business Plan Competition for secondary schools in the state.

St. Charles College, Onitsha, which took the first position, specialising in Omega 2020 3 in 1 software received a cash reward of N250,000; while Government Technical College, Onitsha, which majored in Govtech Catfish Farm received N200,000 cash prize.

Other victorious schools which include St. Charles College, Onitsha; Fr. Joseph Memorial High School, Aguleri; and Government Technical College, Onitsha all went home with various cash gifts.

The sum of N150,000 went to Fr. Joseph Memorial High school, Aguleri, which also specialised in Catfish Farm, while consolation prizes were given to other schools that participated in the competition.

Recall that Students from 42 schools across the state had undergone training in 2017 by the State Ministry of Basic Education in partnership with UNIDO after which they took a test with only 10 schools making it to the grand finale.

Speaking during the event, Regional Director, UNIDO, Mr Jean Bakole, described the event as timely and apt in view of urgent need for government and all stakeholders to review the curriculum in the nation’s educational institutions.

He said: “For Nigeria to confront skills challenges in the country, there’s urgent need for government and all stakeholders to promote entrepreneurship skills capable of creating jobs, wealth and build a resilient and inclusive economy.”

Bakole, who was represented at the occasion by Francis Uko, a UNIDO representative, explained that UNIDO is a specialised agency of the United Nations which promotes inclusive and sustainable industrialisation in development of countries and economies in transition and directly contributes to SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, and to SDG 5 on gender equality.

Declaring the event open, the State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, commended Basic Education Ministry for providing a platform for secondary school students in the state to acquire skills to make them self reliant on graduation.

He hailed UNIDO for sponsoring the fair, while regretting that the state had many graduates with limited jobs available, the governor hailed UNIDO for sponsoring the fair.

Obiano added that the state had been partnering them in the retraining of graduates in skills to enable them earn a living.

“What we are doing here today is to keep encouraging the children to continue developing themselves,” the governor said.

The Commissioner for Basic Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha, on her part noted that the occasion was in line with Gov. Obiano’s “one child one skill policy”, designed to fight unemployment in the state.

“The competition was an outcome of the collaboration with UNIDO, aimed at equipping schools with relevant skills, attitudes and knowledge to help them set up their own businesses in solving identified local problem,” she said.

Expressing his delight at the event, one of the students, Akachukwu Okoye, from New Era Secondary School Nteje, who produced a working drone camera, asked the State Government to help actualise his dream of becoming the owner of his own business on graduation.

Dignitaries at the event included the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, Commissioner for Indigenous Art Work, Culture and Tourism, Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, and State Head of Service, Bar. Harry Udu.

Others were the President and Chairman Cocharis Group, Dr Cosmos Maduka, and the Group Chairman/CEO Juhel Group, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, who chaired the occasion.

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