UN 2019 International Youth Day: SHADE-IN Participates in National Youth Dialogue on the SDGs, Speaks on Goal 4

August 12 was first designated International Youth Day by the UN General Assembly in 1999, and serves as an annual celebration of the role of young women and men as essential partners in change, and an opportunity to raise awareness of the challenges and problems facing the worlds youth. Today, we celebrate the young people, youth-led organisations, Governments and others who are working to transform education and uplift young people everywhere.  -UN Secretary-General António Guterres

There are currently 1.8 billion young people between the ages of 10 and 24 in the world. This is the largest youth population ever. However, more than half of all children and adolescents aged 6-14 lack basic reading and Maths skills, despite the fact that the majority of them are attending school. This global learning crisis threatens to severely hamper progress towards the SDGs.

This year's theme: Transforming education highlights efforts to make education more inclusive and accessible for all youth, including efforts by youth themselves. Rooted in Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, "to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,"  the 2019 International Youth Day examined how Governments, young people, youth-led and youth-focused organizations, as well as other stakeholders, are transforming education so that it becomes a powerful tool to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Saving Hand Development Initiative (SHADE-IN), celebrated this year's International Youth Day with other youths across 20 states in Nigeria as a youth focused organisation. With one of the organisations  core focus being "youth education", Bliss Ojeruse, the Executive Director (Programmes) of SHADE-IN was invited as Guest speaker at Edo State dialogue by the Nigeria Youth SDGs Network to facilitate the topic: "Working With Youths for the SDGs for SDG 4" during the National Youth SDGs Dialogue tagged: "Amplifying Youth Voices for the SDGs". The programme held on 10th August, 2019 at Edo Innovates Hub, Benin City, Edo State. 

In her speech, Bliss mentioned how SHADE-IN has worked with youths (volunteers) in the Aba-Ebira community, Ekiti State, Nigeria to spearhead the provision of extra mural classes to the children of that community, as well as in other areas of the organisation's works to facilitate goal 4 (Quality Education) of the SDGs. SHADE-IN recently organised a Conference for teachers called the Changed Teachers Conference (CTC) where teachers mentioned the challenges they face in their schools and proposed solutions to those challenges. SHADE-IN has also conducted different schools surveys and data gathering on the state of public secondary schools in Edo State.

Inclusive and accessible education is crucial to achieving sustainable development and can play a role in the prevention of conflict. Indeed, education is a development multiplier as it plays a pivotal role in accelerating progress across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, be it poverty eradication, good health, gender equality, decent work and growth, reduced inequalities, action on climate or peaceful societies. Education should lead to relevant and effective learning outcomes, with the content of school curricula being fit for purpose, not only for the 4th industrial revolution and the future of work, but also for the opportunities  and challenges  that rapidly changing social contexts bring.

The crucial role that quality education plays in youth development is well recognised. In addition, comprehensive youth development benefits society-at-large. However, what is less known is the fact that young people themselves are active champions of inclusive and accessible education.  Youth-led organisations, as well as individual youth, together with various stakeholders and Governments, are concretely transforming education so that it becomes a fundamental tool both for sustainable development and for the full inclusion of various social groups. For example, SHADE-IN is a member of a School Based Management Committee of one of the secondary schools in Edo State. SHADE-IN has visited Edo State Ministry of Education, Post Primary Education Board, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Edo State Bureau of Statistics, all in a bid to assess the educational output in the state and to chart ways of sustainable intervention.

During the Youth dialogue, SHADE-IN was also part of the breakout session to discuss ways of taking action for SDG 4, Quality education, along with other young education enthusiasts. Rebecca Alasa (Programme Officer, SHADE-IN) was part of the group session.

At the end of the event, young people approached Bliss Ojeruse commending SHADE-IN for the good work they are doing, stating how inspired they have been by her presentation. A number of young people asked if they could volunteer for SHADE-IN. The Focal Person, Edo State SDGs, Mrs. Eire Ifueko Alufohai, exchanged contacts with Bliss. She had earlier expressed her accessibility to the young SDGs actors.

 

SHADE-IN's work is sure to have a wider reach and greater impact soon, from the outcome of the dialogue. It is the desire and vision of the management of SHADE-IN to see a transformed nation with a transformed educational system, such that everyone, rich or poor, would be excited to enroll their children/wards in public schools and be assured that they will get the best of education, which is not also currently obtainable in some private schools. This is in line with SHADE-IN's mantra: "...transforming and building nations by His Hand," with the belief that each individual, including the child is a potential nation.

Reference: https://www.un.org/en/events/youthday/

 

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