Reducing Illiteracy through Social Entrepreneurship

Photo Credit: Bayo Omoboriowo

Education is one of the best gifts that can be given to children because of its secondary advantage to the society.

When children are educated, their minds are developed through the knowledge and skills that they acquire. The knowledge they gain helps them understand their importance to society, and the skills they acquire gives them the opportunity to contribute to the socio-economic development of their communities. Therefore, the outcome of child education benefits the children as young individuals and extends to the society in terms of development.

However, education is not always available and affordable to all children. This is a common experience for the children of low-income earners in many developing countries because their parents always struggle to find and pay for good education. The free education that is sponsored by government in some African countries is not evenly efficient across all states. Hence, most parents avoid sending their children to public schools at the primary level. Yet, some of these parents are also uneducated. In fact, UNESCO reports that Africa is the only continent where more than half of parents are not able to help their children with homework due to illiteracy.

For example, in Nigeria, where 10.5 million children are presently out of school, several parents are finding it difficult to enrol their children in public primary schools. The shortcomings of public education are still visible and the cost of enrolment in private primary schools keeps escalating. Many parents say schools that have efficient teachers charge high tuition fees while the risks involved with sending their children to schools run by government are high. Again, parents who do not value education actually prevent their children from going to school and would rather engage them in local trades. If handled by government alone, the problem of illiteracy would remain unbeatable ...

 

Read more on Commonwealth Youth Portal

Education is one of the best gifts that can be given to children because of its secondary advantage to the society.
When children are educated, their minds are developed through the knowledge and skills that they acquire. The knowledge they gain helps them understand their importance to society, and the skills they acquire gives them the opportunity to contribute to the socio-economic development of their communities. Therefore, the outcome of child education benefits the children as young individuals and extends to the society in terms of development.
However, education is not always available and affordable to all children. This is a common experience for the children of low-income earners in many developing countries because their parents always struggle to find and pay for good education. The free education that is sponsored by government in some African countries is not evenly efficient across all states. Hence, most parents avoid sending their children to public schools at the primary level. Yet, some of these parents are also uneducated. In fact, UNESCO reports that Africa is the only continent where more than half of parents are not able to help their children with homework due to illiteracy.
For example, in Nigeria, where 10.5 million children are presently out of school, several parents are finding it difficult to enrol their children in public primary schools. The shortcomings of public education are still visible and the cost of enrolment in private primary schools keeps escalating. Many parents say schools that have efficient teachers charge high tuition fees while the risks involved with sending their children to schools run by government are high. Again, parents who do not value education actually prevent their children from going to school and would rather engage them in local trades. If handled by government alone, the problem of illiteracy would remain unbeatable.
- See more at: http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/2013/12/17/reducing-illiteracy-through-social-entrepreneurship/#sthash.bk2kPG85.dpuf

Education is one of the best gifts that can be given to children because of its secondary advantage to the society.
When children are educated, their minds are developed through the knowledge and skills that they acquire. The knowledge they gain helps them understand their importance to society, and the skills they acquire gives them the opportunity to contribute to the socio-economic development of their communities. Therefore, the outcome of child education benefits the children as young individuals and extends to the society in terms of development.
However, education is not always available and affordable to all children. This is a common experience for the children of low-income earners in many developing countries because their parents always struggle to find and pay for good education. The free education that is sponsored by government in some African countries is not evenly efficient across all states. Hence, most parents avoid sending their children to public schools at the primary level. Yet, some of these parents are also uneducated. In fact, UNESCO reports that Africa is the only continent where more than half of parents are not able to help their children with homework due to illiteracy.
For example, in Nigeria, where 10.5 million children are presently out of school, several parents are finding it difficult to enrol their children in public primary schools. The shortcomings of public education are still visible and the cost of enrolment in private primary schools keeps escalating. Many parents say schools that have efficient teachers charge high tuition fees while the risks involved with sending their children to schools run by government are high. Again, parents who do not value education actually prevent their children from going to school and would rather engage them in local trades. If handled by government alone, the problem of illiteracy would remain unbeatable.
- See more at: http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/2013/12/17/reducing-illiteracy-through-social-entrepreneurship/#sthash.bk2kPG85.dpuf

Managing the “Special” Project Stakeholders in Africa

Stakeholders include persons who come about the idea of a project, provide funds for executing it, work to achieve its objectives, intermittently observe the work to measure its progress and finally utilise its deliverables. Simply put, they are the reasons why projects exist. Since projects are unique and timely endeavours aimed at producing verifiable end results and stakeholders are those whose behaviours affect the project positively or otherwise, then no project can be successful without receiving suitable inputs from its stakeholders. Yet, the responsible personnel must effectively manage all these stakeholders or people with different personalities. 

 

Though he has other responsibilities, it is the job of the project manager to identify and manage all stakeholders. Any error made in these two processes could be very critical as they may lead to failure, rework or additional cost. When the project manager has prior experience in the project type, his problems are reduced. He can apply background knowledge obtained from previous projects to the current work and consult subject matter experts or more experienced team members. Additionally, the organisation’s bank of historical records may provide more illumination on this task. That is why the updating of lesson learned documents remains vital in all ongoing projects. But if still in doubt that all stakeholders have been appropriately identified, it will be in his best interest to consult a senior management personnel.

However, when handling new projects or starting off your first job as a project manager, stakeholders can be quite difficult to identify and manage. In certain locations in Africa, where new and special stakeholders often emerge everyday, it is not an easy job to know who could suddenly decide to have a stake in your project. An example is found in Nigeria where the indigenes of certain areas often disturb project’s progress when their demand for money is not met. Though without legal backing, these natives claim they ought to be paid before any work can be done at project sites. Unfortunately, failure to give them audience or cooperate and negotiate with them may affect the successful implementation of the project.

Yet, requests for such incentives may recur throughout the project duration and increase the cost of completing the project...

 

Read More at Ventures Africa

The Role of Nigerian Women in Agro-allied Industries

In Nigeria, women’s involvement in business dates back to as far as the pre-colonial era. During those periods, the average Nigerian woman was hardly educated. There were no gender inequality critics and preference was traditionally shown towards the male child or preferred heir. Very few girls were lucky to receive education and even when they did, it was not always absolute. More times than not, instead of allowing her to complete her education, the girl child was withdrawn from school and sent to farm in the woods or sell articles at the market square. Eventually, she was given out to an interested suitor. For most young women, the cycle continued at their husband’s house.

In the absence of a literate husband or one that valued education, farm work, petty trading and childbearing occupied the productive portion of the average Nigerian woman in the 80's. In a dissertation titled, From Petty Traders to International Merchants: A Historical Account of Three IGBO Women of Nigeria in Trade and Commerce, 1886 to 1970, a former UCLA scholar, Gloria Chukwu, examined the lives of three women whose devotion to trade reflects the influence of the typical Igbo woman in Nigerian business. Her studies show that the average Igbo woman’s effort in trade, commerce and agriculture is inseparable from the foundation of her community’s economy. Similarly, Effah Attoe’s Women in the Development of Nigeria Since pre-colonial Times investigates the roles of women in developing the Nigerian economy through the pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial eras.

Today, there are many businesswomen in Nigeria. From iconic scholars of economics and management to successful entrepreneurs, several Nigerian women have clearly distinguished themselves as top industry pillars and business leaders. Though the Igbo women are generally said to be exceptional in business, several other women from the Yoruba tribe have also attained the heights of renown in entrepreneurship. Examples of Igbo and Yoruba women who readily come to mind are Chief (Dr) Hannah Awolowo, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, etc...

Continued at: CBA's Your World View