YabaTech UNEVOC Center visits Chi Limited

The YabaTech UNEVOC Team embarked on a working visit to Chi Limited Headquarters in Lagos Nigeria on Thursday, 10th of April 2014. Chi Limited is known as the producer of packed drinks like Chivita juice, Caprisone, Hollandia milk etc. Our team was received by Mr. Anuj Kumar Bhatia. The purpose of the visit was to seek ways of collaboration between both parties.

Mr. Anuj introduced himself as the Group Manager in charge of corporate social responsibility and also introduced us to the group and the nine companies it comprises. Tropical General Investment (TGI) Group is a Dutch company based in Nigeria. According to him, while the most famous of the companies in the group is Chi Limited, there are other companies of the group which are into agriculture, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, fishing etc.

Pix 1: At the discussion table with Mr. Anuj

Pix 2: The HR Manager of Chi Ltd, Mr. Femi with Mr. Anuj

The UNEVOC Team also gave a brief on the College, the premier tertiary institution in Nigeria, which was specially established to train middle level professionals in technical capabilities. According to the Director, the UNEVOC Center thrives in information sharing, advocacy and collaboration and such activities can be within departments of an institution like Yaba College of Technology or with industries. This helps to create synergy amidst development partners in order to produce graduates prepared for the realities and requirements of the world of work. Proposed areas of collaboration include:

• Collaboration on the Rice Institute an initiative of TGI
• Drafting of working proposition between Yaba College of Technology and TGI Group
• Research Visit to Ajanla Farms by researchers and students
• Student's Industrial Training

Pix 3: The YabaTech UNEVOC team posing with Mr. Anuj after the meeting

YabaTech UNEVOC Centre Empower Students

The Yaba College of Technology, UNESCO-UNEVOC Center through its skill acquisition programmes, has been training students in several skills like hair braiding, computer and phone repairs, bead stringing etc. Through the scheme, the students pick up skills that enable them to support their education and earn a living while still learning.

A beneficiary of the scheme is Miss Jumoke Faleye, a young YabaTech student who is now using her skill in hair braiding to earn a living. Interestingly, Miss Faleye is a final year (ND II) Accountancy full-time student of the College. Through what she earns from her activity as a hair braider, she pays her school fees and supports her aged parents.

She hopes to continue with her Higher Diploma when she makes enough money to pay her fees. 

Pix 1 – YabaTech Students learning from Miss Jumoke

Pix 2 – YabaTech Students learning from Miss Jumoke

In practicing their skills, recipients in most cases do not need a rented space, as they use their rooms in the hostel for the business and leisure periods when there is no class activity. They also require small capital in order to start the hair braiding business after training at the centre. 

More of such programmes are being carried out by the UNEVOC Center to inculcate entrepreneurship and self-reliance in the graduates.

Pix 3 – Miss Jumoke in action

Pix 4 – Varieties of hair styles being taught

Pix 5 – The YabaTech UNEVOC Center Team with Miss Jumoke

YabaTech UNEVOC Team visits LASTVEB

The Yaba College of Technology, UNESCO-UNEVOC Center Team paid a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary of Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) at his Ikeja GRA office on Tuesday 18^th of March 2014.

It was an opportunity to discuss TVET (technical and vocational education and training) in Nigeria and these two organizations deliberated on several areas of collaboration and networking. The LASTVEB Executive Secretary, Engr. Olawunmi Gasper, opened up on several projects his organization is carrying out and conceptualizing.

In a discussion at the LASTVEB office

The resolve that technical and vocational education leads to entrepreneurship for a large percentage of the populace serves as the impetus for the Lagos State Government to invest in various projects through the LASTVEB initiative. Some of the projects already started by LASTVEB include:

·         Two (organic and sustainable) Agric farms

·         An electronic training center in conjunction with Samsung Nigeria

·         Technical Apprenticeship Training for youths of the state

·         The Enterprise Day to mention just a few

From the UNEVOC Center perspective, several of the projects cut into our vision at the College and ways of collaborating on both existing and future programmes were successfully discussed.

(From right) Dr.(Mrs) Doherty, Engr. Gasper, Ms. Ify Marinze and Mr. John Okewole

Representatives of LEAD AWA visits YabaTech UNEVOC Center

Representatives of Leadership Environment and Development Anglophone West Africa (LEAD AWA) led by the Regional Programme Director, Mrs. Maureen Akintayo visited YabaTech UNESCO-UNEVOC on the 3rd of March 2014, .
The LEAD team's visit was to seek ways of partnership between the YabaTech UNESCO-UNEVOC and LEAD AWA. LEAD Anglophone West Africa is a member program of LEAD International, a U. K. based global non-profit organization, founded by the Rockefeller Foundation about 20years ago.

FEDEN/LEAD AWA is recognized as one of the top three environmental NGOs in Nigeria with a strong reputation as the only organization providing capacity building for mid-career professionals - leadership entrepreneurship and sustainability.

Rector, Dr.(Mrs.) M. K. Ladipo been briefed by the UNEVOC Center Team, Ms. Ify Marinze & Dr.(Mrs.) Doherty

Group picture of the UNEVOC Center and LEAD AWA delegation

The UNESCO-UNEVOC Team consisting of the Director, Ms. Ify Marinze, Coordinator Dr.(Mrs.) Doherty and System Analyst Mr. John Okewole welcomed the LEAD AWA delegation. Ms. Marinze stated that the UNEVOC Center can partner with LEAD AWA in their Ecopreneur LEADERs program and Integrated Agriculture & Waste Management Program which is designed to help young people build lifelong skills necessary for transforming social problems into opportunities for creating sustainable enterprises.

Yaba College of Technology under the leadership of Dr.(Mrs.) M. K. Ladipo has been training students in Technical and Vocational education offering courses in Printing Technology, Textile Technology, Agricultural Technology, Hotel and Catering, Tourism and Hospitality and much more.

A follow-up meeting was held on 11th of March 2014 to finetune an agriculture collaborative project with the two institution. In attendance was the Head of Department, Agric. Technology, Dr. A. Akinfemi.

Group picture of the UNEVOC Center, LEAD AWA delegation & HOD, Agric. Technologgy Dept.

Rector, Dr.(Mrs.) M. K. Ladipo, HOD, Agric. Technologgy Dept. Dr. A. Akinfemi with the UNEVOC Center Team

WITED, YabaTech honors former Rector and other Retirees

The Women in Technical Education and Employment (WITED) Yaba College of Technology Nigeria, honored her retirees at an event at the College. The ceremony which took place on the 11th of December 2013 at the Yusuf Grillo Auditorium, Yaba College of Technology, Yaba Lagos had several of the retirees of the College in attendance.

Prominent among those honored was the former and first female Rector of the College Chief(Mrs.) Felicia A. Odugbesan. Several others were honored for their meritorious service to the College.

In her response to the award and recognition (see below), the former Rector spoke on several areas and advised the incumbent staff on preparing for the status they have already reached.


It was also a fun time as both the retirees and fellow staffs took to their dancing steps.


You can view the gallery of the event here.

PCF7 Conference Abuja, Nigeria

The 7th Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning organized by Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and National Open University, Nigeria (NOUN) was a success. The international conference held in Abuja, Nigeria from 2nd to 6th December 2013 drew participants from all of the commonwealth countries and beyond. It was a mix of participants mainly from academia, media, government, private enterprise and more.

The event had five major themes in which plenary sessions were delivered on each. They are:

• Girls’ and Women’s Education
• Skills Development
• Promoting Open Educational Resources (OER)
• Innovation and Technology
• Institutional Development

Several workshops and papers were presented on the themes

The YabaTech UNEVOC Center was represented by the System Analyst, John Okewole who presented a workshop on "Let's get Refreshed with MERLOT" and paper/poster titled "Educational Technology, Learning Paradigms and Systemic Change: Preparing Faculty for the Future of Education".

In attendance was the Director, NBTE Center of Excellence, Kaduna, Dr. M. S. Abubakar. Check the gallery below.



More information is on the PCF7 website.

YabaTech hosts GEW2013

This Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) is an annual programme to raise awareness for entrepreneurs across the world. The Center for Entrepreneurship Development, Yaba College of Technology is one of the partners hosting events in Nigeria during the week.

The 2013 edition took place between 18th and 24th November 2013. Several programmes ushered on the week including:

• an entrepreneurship road show/sensitization
• a talk/award
• a press conference
• a student entrepreneurship exhibition

The Director of CED Dr.(Mrs.) O. T. Oyelola bared her mind on entrepreneurship in Nigeria and advice on how it can be expatiated. Watch here