Tech Expert Expresses Worry over 20M Out-of-School Population

•Launches foundation to tackle challenge

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A technology expert and human capital development advocate, Mr. Charles Eze, has expressed worry over the large population of out-of-school pupils, currently put at N20 million.

Eze, while describing the situation as a big threat to the country’s socio-economic development, blamed the increase in crime and criminalities on lack of access to basic education.

He spoke during the launch of the Charles Eze Development Foundation (CED), in Abuja.

The foundation was established to provide empowerment programmes for the teaming out-of-School population in the country.

“I have seen firsthand and know that some of us have witnessed the devastating effects of socio-capital infrastructure and its impact on having access to education, and healthcare, and how it promotes child labour and exploitation, youth restiveness, and involvement in social vices.

“This experience inspired me to launch a mission toward solving these problems,” he explained.

He stated that when the country develops its youth, the society would have less of crime, youth restiveness and social vices.

According to him, the current unemployment rate in Nigeria, especially among the youth and university graduates, was a threat to the country’s socio-economic development, adding that this group constitute of the smartest and most talented young people on earth who can help drive Nigeria’s economic growth through entrepreneurship and technology innovation.

Eze, who holds a Post Graduate Degree in Artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning from the University of Texas, said the launch of the founding was the realisation of the passion he had since his teenage years about human and socio-capital development.

 “Growing up, I always envisioned how kids around me would grow up to become what they wished. For some, this dream came to pass, while others could not make it beyond elementary education due to poverty, I watched some become orphaned at an early stage of life, or even lose their lives to hit-and-run vehicles while hawking for their parents or guardians to raise their school fees.

“As an undergraduate and a young lecturer in tertiary institutions, I witnessed the challenges some students face to pay their school fees, and how non-payment or late payment impacts their academic progress.

“A similar situation applies to students from low-income and middle-income families enrolled in elementary and secondary schools in Nigeria today,” he recalled.

Eze, said his vision for the CED Foundation, “was to leverage it to empower the next generation of leaders through human and socio-economic development.

“I am committed to raising leaders who become champions of community development, economic growth drivers, and human rights advocates.

“My aim is to raise leader who become champions of economic development, people that would promote good environment for us and become economic drivers,” he emphasised.

The foundation’s programmes, he explained, “are built around child education, health awareness, technology innovation, human rights advocacy and environmental sustainability.

“These are programs that are tailored towards helping to develop the youths in our society and we will establish partnership with businesses at micro level and urban cities to make sure that our youths are equipped with skills after secondary schools and even into the universities.

“That way, we have our graduates from the university also equipped to face the challenges”, he added.