The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, met with His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Edward, Chair of the Duke of Edinburgh International Foundation on Skills, during a sideline meeting at this year’s *Education World Forum.
The Duke convened a select group of Ministers attending the Forum to discuss skills development and enrichment programmes, focusing on how best to equip young people with the necessary competencies throughout foundational education and up to university level. The conversation also addressed the pressing need to empower the 80% of youth who may not progress to tertiary education, by equipping them with vital life skills.
The Duke of Edinburgh Foundation operates in nearly 120 countries, including Nigeria, helping young citizens worldwide gain practical skills. The Foundation’s mission aligns seamlessly with the Federal Ministry of Education’s NESRI agenda, which aims to reposition Nigeria’s education sector to deliver technical and vocational skills to our young citizens—particularly through the TVET programme, set to launch on May 30.
This represents a strong alignment of purpose and mission—to empower and enrich Nigeria’s youth.
The Foundation awards scholarships based on a four-point criterion: the young person must select a skill, participate in physical education (sports), engage in volunteer work, and complete adventurous tasks (bronze, silver, or gold levels) to qualify for scholarships focused on enrichment and skills development.
The next Duke of Edinburgh International Forum will be held in Lagos, Nigeria, in November 2025 Dr. Alausa assured the Duke of his attendance at the upcoming event.
This forum and the discussions held today are fully aligned with Nigeria’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to equip our growing youth population with life skills that will enable them to become productive citizens—serving themselves, their communities, the nation, and the world at large.
As Mr. President rightly says: “The youth are the heartbeat of the country. It’s time we truly focus on them.
A. Mojoyinoluwa Adebajo
Office of Honourable Minister of Education
Special Assistant on Digital Communications & ELearning
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