Education
FG Partners with Coursera to Fund 36,000 Youth Tech Licences
The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched a massive digital empowerment drive by securing and fully funding 36,000 learning licences across Coursera and Pluralsight.
Unveiled as part of the newly established Digital Training Academy (DTA), this landmark initiative aims to eliminate financial barriers and equip young Nigerians with globally competitive tech skills.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, formalised and signed the strategic partnership on the sidelines of the Education World Forum (EWF) in London. Operating under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the DTA is being hailed as one of the largest government-funded investments in digital education in Nigeria’s history.
Addressing the High-Demand Tech Gap
The first year of the programme targets core fields shaping the future global workforce. Beneficiaries will undergo rigorous training to earn certifications highly valued by local and international employers in; Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cybersecurity, Data Science, Cloud Computing, and Software Engineering.
“Digital competency is no longer optional. It is foundational,” Dr. Alausa stated via an official release. He added that the administration is focused on building a generation of young Nigerians capable of leading and thriving within a rapidly evolving digital economy.
The Hybrid Implementation Strategy
Recognising that access to online tools is only half the battle, the Federal Ministry of Education has structured a hybrid model to ensure high completion rates:
1. Geographical Inclusion: The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) will leverage its vast nationwide network of study centres to ensure equitable slot distribution across all geopolitical zones.
2. On-the-Ground Mentorship: Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) will provide technical facilitators, industry-focused expertise, and accountability structures to guide learners through their courses.
Why This Matters: The Economic Stakes
Nigeria’s youth demographic is expanding rapidly, yet a substantial digital skills gap persists. Economic analysts estimate that the lack of formal digital education among local graduates costs the national economy billions of dollars in lost potential productivity annually.
By partnering directly with elite, multinational platforms like Coursera and Pluralsight, the government is bypassing traditional infrastructure constraints. This model gives Nigerian youth direct access to the exact same training resources utilized by top tech professionals across the US, Europe, and Asia.
An 11-year-old pupil at Sinqobile Primary School in Soshanguve, South Africa, was allegedly dragged into a school toilet and forcibly circumcised by four older students during break time.
The Grade 5 pupil was reportedly attacked by four Grade 7 students, who allegedly pinned him down before one of them used a sharp blade to remove his foreskin.
The boy was also allegedly threatened with violence if he disclosed the incident to anyone.
According to his mother, the child returned home after the incident but initially refused to tell her what had happened. She later noticed that he was walking unusually and, days later, discovered that he was in severe pain.
The mother said her son eventually showed her his swollen private parts, prompting her to rush him to a doctor.
“He then showed me his swollen private parts and I rushed him to the doctor and it was then that we learned four pupils had circumcised him,” she said.
She said her son told her that the older boys had attacked him in the school toilets during break and threatened to beat him if he told anyone.
The mother subsequently opened a criminal case and refused to allow her son to return to school. Police later persuaded the boy to attend an identity parade, where he reportedly helped identify the four students.
South African Police Service spokesperson, Captain Tintswalo Sibeko, confirmed that a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was being investigated.
“Our Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit are investigating and no arrests have been made at this stage,” Sibeko said.
The Gauteng Department of Education also confirmed that the matter was under police investigation, while saying the school had not reported any similar circumcision attacks.
Deputy Principal George Mahlungu said the school was shocked by the incident.
“We are perplexed by what happened. This school is a place where a child should be safe,” he said.
The school has about 2,050 pupils between the ages of seven and 15.
A doctor who examined the boy reportedly said the procedure appeared to have been carried out in a manner similar to traditional tribal initiation practices. However, the doctor said a full diagnosis could not be made until the swelling subsided.
The boy’s mother said her son had become traumatised by the incident and was afraid to return to school.
Police investigations are ongoing, and no arrests had been made as of the latest report.
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