Senior secondary school students in Ikorodu were empowered with essential life skills, basic digital literacy, and exposure to diverse career pathways through an initiative called ‘PROJECT PROOF’.
Newsconnect reports that Project Proof is a CYFI Lagos Education team initiative designed to support students with information, digital/soft skill training, career map courses, and mentorship to help them make informed career and life decisions.
The project was achieved through holistic guidance and support to enhance academic performance, personal development, and career readiness.
The project which lasted for duration of 12 weeks concluded with a career fair and stakeholders’ engagement session on July 27, attended by 50 individuals. This group included students, parents, and professionals, including teachers.
The event provided a platform for students to engage with professionals in their desired career fields, facilitated discussions on the role parents and guardians should play in career development.
One of the students, Daniela Igwe, shared what she had learnt with Newsconnect correspondence in the last three months.
Igwe said;
“I have been learning a lot. Like my career choices, my career paths. How to solve problem around me and not just complain about it. I also learn that my passion would help me to live a better life in the days to come.
“I have learnt life skills, I have learnt how to be confident in myself , I have learnt a little about my career choice too so I see myself contributing to my community, volunteering in other things outside my career choice, hopefully, you would see me important places tomorrow”. She said
One of the parents of the participants, Mrs Oloye Christiana Oluwatoyin said the main purpose that brought her to the event is because of the choice of course that her son proposed to study in the University. In an interview with Newsconnect at the event, she said;
“I came to verify how that course can take him far in life. I am now enlightened with this program. He told me he wants to study Mathematics. To me, I feel Mathematics is just a course that would only earn him a job as a teacher or lecturer.
“With this sensitisation, I have now realized that reading and learning application of knowledge in mathematics can open more doors in other mathematical related field. Like statistics, and the rest”.
In a separate interview with a project manager and facilitator at the career fair and stakeholders engagement Blessing Ibukun said she had lived the experience of the students and was confused as well. In her own words, she talked about importance of volunteering and the role of parents towards guiding their career paths.
“Whatever children are in tune with, they should volunteer. In volunteering you will be able to find out other skills you don’t know you had. There are skills you never knew you had that will pop in the process of volunteering, put yourself out there.
“Parent should be a support system for their children not an enforcer. They also need to improve, get relevant knowledge based on those field their children want to go into.
“They also need to b observant of the little things those children love doing. And in their research, they should look for those passion of their kids and help them go into it. They can project those things for them.
“For the children, don’t stereotype yourself, don’t put yourself in a box. They should open their mind to other relevant skills outside what they study in the University”. She said .
The Director Tindip Schools, Dr Dipo Arigbede at the event opined that for a nation to develop, you need Education. He said the facilitators have encouraged the students, mentored them, counselled them, they have made them to be focused, to read their books, and guided them with career talks.
In his words in an interview at the event said;
“I think they have equipped them with necessary instruments and tools to make them a good citizen of this country.
“For parents who missed the sensitisation will be Sensitised at the PTF meeting. Pictorially and verbal words. Whatever that’s been recorded today would be shared with them. During seminars for the SS3 students, we will invite them and relay all we have done here today”. He said