Thematic Focus: Leadership and Innovation
The Future Is Now Conference
The Issue
Nigeria’s youth unemployment rate, currently at 40% (NBS, 2023), highlights the growing skills gap in leadership and innovation among secondary school students. In rural and semi-urban areas like Ekiti State, many students lack access to programs that equip them for the challenges of the modern workforce. Despite their potential, these students are often not exposed to practical leadership training and innovative thinking, which are essential for fostering positive change in their communities.
School prefects, who are role models within their schools, are often not provided with the tools to lead effectively due to the absence of structured programs focused on leadership and innovation. Currently, we are addressing this gap through The Future is Now Conference in Ekiti State, working with 200 prefects and 20 teachers from 20 schools to provide them with essential skills. However, our vision extends beyond Ekiti, with plans to scale this initiative across all states in Nigeria, ensuring that students nationwide receive the leadership and innovation training they need for their future careers and socio-economic contributions.
Addressing these systemic issues requires a concerted effort to introduce and scale digital innovation in education, with a focus on equitable access, teacher capacity building, and creating sustainable solutions to bridge the gap.
The Solution: Our Strategy
To close the leadership and innovation skills gap among secondary school students, The Future Is Now Conference provides a tailored skills development program targeting both students and teachers. We have successfully held the conference in various locations, including Edo State, virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in Ekiti and Ogun states in subsequent years. Since our inception in 2019, over 1,000 students have benefited from this initiative.
The program begins with a one-day expository conference focused on 200 prefects and 20 teachers from 12 schools in Ekiti State, equipping participants with essential leadership tools and innovative thinking needed to drive positive change in their communities. Our program delivers hands-on workshops, mentorship opportunities, and knowledge-sharing sessions, empowering students to become role models and enabling educators to adopt innovative teaching methods. By integrating leadership and innovation into the school curriculum, we aim to prepare students for the demands of the modern workforce. Additionally, we are gathering data to produce a policy brief advocating for educational reforms in Ekiti State. Our long-term vision is to scale this initiative nationwide, ensuring students across Nigeria are equipped with the skills to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
The 2024 edition of The Future Is Now Conference will be held on 15th November in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State
Key Objectives
1. Equip students with leadership and innovation skills by providing 200 prefects with the tools and knowledge to become role models and leaders within their schools and communities.
2. Empower teachers to drive innovation by training 20 educators to adopt innovative teaching methods that foster creativity and critical thinking in students.
3. Generate policy recommendations by collecting data to produce a policy brief advocating for the integration of leadership and innovation into the Ekiti State educational curriculum.
4. Create sustainable mentorship networks by establishing long-term mentorship opportunities that support continued growth and development for students post-conference.
5. Scale impact nationally by expanding the program across all states in Nigeria to ensure students nationwide are prepared for the challenges of the modern workforce.
Impact in Pictures
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Partners and Sponsors
