THE GUARDIAN, Tuesday, June 25, 2013
42
Peoples’Digest
Published in association with
Unemployment: Involving the uninvolved By Aruosa Osemwegie GPHR, SPHR I wondered why somebody didn’t do something. Then I realized, I am somebody - Author Unknown Introduction HE Irishman, the late Edmund Burke, is right again. He said, “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” He also said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing [or do little].” Starting in January, we strenuously canvassed for a state of emergency on unemployment. Knowing that dealing a decisive blow on unemployment would require more than political announcements and setting up of committees, we went ahead to underscore some of the solution areas. To end this six-part raid on unemployment, I would like to end where I started – the call that everyone can and must do something. This Hurricane Unemployment requires that we all pitch in our ‘widow’s mite’ and that we start now. Everyone must do something In the first part of this treatise, published in January, we said, “As we set out in this New Year, we need to get our national, corporate and individual imperatives right and the first breakthrough solution is the national resolve that ‘Everyone Must Do Something’. For all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing [or do little]. The days of expecting governments to solve ALL problems are long gone. There is a part the government should and must play, and there is a part YOU can play. All institutions (educational, religious, for-profit, non-profit) must bring their “twelve loaves and five fishes”. The days are gone when lecturers would fold their hands expecting government, university administration or the Ministry of Education to come sweep away the ‘problems with these youths’. The days are also gone (or should be gone) when the universities/polytechnics would keep students for 4-5 years and HOPE that they turn out well when they are ‘thrown’ into the labour market. Corporate organisations must also come up with ideas-driven solutions and contributions beyond complaining about the quality of graduates and refurbishing school buildings and furniture.Sending ONLY your kids overseas isn’t doing something because “today’s graduates are unemployable”. That refrain won’t win a Nobel Prize. The question is this, “what are you going to do about it?” Various professionals in different fields (human resources, economics, science & technology, planning, etc.) must contribute their quota. Apathy, superficial or patronizing contributions may actually be more detrimental than good. That you and I are in this part of the world, at a time like this, places a responsibility on us. Involving the Uninvolved Thus, this concluding piece will focus on the various groups and persons who need to throw more of their weight behind this war against unemployment, thereby heeding the refrain from Martin Niemoller, “First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.” For sure nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something. The question is this, “What are you doing with what is in your hand? Or do you play the flute while Rome burns?” Private Sector Organizations and Individuals Obviously, we urgently need heavyweight support from Corporate Nigeria. It is true that a few companies are doing a little but most can do a lot more. We have gotten bread crumbs but the situation requires we literally open bakeries. The world has come full circle to the realization that pure capitalism isn’t sustainable (ask the American government). So the idea that organisations exist for the sole good of their shareholders is so 1920-ish and clearly misses the learnings gained from both the positive and negative disruptive happenings of the last 2 decades.
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Organizations and their stakeholder communities exist for mutual benefit. We need support/sponsorship that sparks off entrepreneurial curiosity. We need some funds to be set aside by banks for low interest micro-lending. Or funds set aside as venture capital or angel investing. This funding can work in so many ways as it allows for entry at different levels. For example, we can start an entrepreneurial competition in one or more tertiary institution/s. We could also localize it to specific sectors such as agriculture. The Federal Government has already started something in this regard, with the YouWin programme. YouWiN! stands for Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria. It is an innovative business plan competition aimed at job creation by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youth in Nigeria to develop and execute business ideas. But we need more of such or similar interventions sponsored by both the private and public sectors. Promote Academic and Intellectual Excellence Another area where private sector organisations and individuals should throw their weight around is academic and intellectual excellence. The 21st century is the century of the mind. A lot of wealth and possibilities lies locked within our youngsters. It is okay to sponsor music, dance, and football but the source of leverage is academic and intellectual excellence, as this is what would help us transit from an agrarian society to an industrialized nation. A major subset of this is Science and Technology, which is the lever for industrial development. As such, we need support to promote study, research and prototype development. Again, this doesn’t have to be expensive and it also has various entry points. Can someone please help to sponsor wifi hotspots on our campuses? This would allow real-time internet access to both students and lecturers. Can someone please sponsor the review of our tertiary curriculum to determine its alignment with the 21st century, thereby leading to a research driven understanding of the shortcomings of the present school design? Could someone assist to sponsor workplace readiness programmes aimed at getting graduates ready to enter and excel in the 21st century workplace? Can someone or a group of people setup a well-stocked library within their local government? The answer is yes! You or an organization can join up with others to promote something worthwhile. The Carson Scholars Fund Let me give you an example of what one family is doing in America. It’s called Carson Scholars Fund. Go ahead and Google it. The Carson Scholars Fund, Inc. was founded in 1994 to address the education crisis in the United States. When world-renowned Johns Hopkins Pediatric Neurosurgeon Benjamin S. Carson, M.D. and his wife, Candy, read a research study about education in the country, they were alarmed by the findings. The study showed that American students ranked 21 out of 22 countries; next to the bottom of the list in science and maths. Furthermore, the Carsons observed that many school display cases were filled with large trophies paying tribute to their sports teams’ achievements, while honor students only received a pin or certificate. Dr. and Mrs. Carson felt compelled to take action. They believed that if children could be taught early to excel, they would stay motivated and have a higher chance of educational success later in life. The Carson Scholars Fund was built on these principles.Carson Scholarships are awarded to students in grades 4-11 who exemplify academic excellence and humanitarian qualities. Winners receive a $1,000 scholarship to be invested toward their college edu-
Ben and Candy Carson, promoters of the Carson Scholars' Fund in the U.S.A cation, along with a recognition package, and an invitation to attend an awards banquet. Carson Scholars became role models and leaders. In his autobiography Gifted Hands, Dr. Carson wrote about how his life was changed once he embraced reading. So as the Carson Scholars Fund grew, the Carsons established a second program – The Ben Carson Reading Project. This initiative, which started in 2000, provides funding and support to schools to build and maintain Ben Carson Reading Rooms – warm, inviting rooms where kids can escape into the world of books. Each room is colorfully decorated and promotes Dr. Carson’s “Think Big” philosophy. In total, they have awarded over 5,200 scholarships and over 85 Reading Rooms have been established in schools across the United States. Guess what? The Carson’s aren’t even on the list of the richest people in the world! Synergistic School Communities The tertiary school community is made up of students, lecturers, school administration and non-lecturers. Quelling this unemployment hurricane requires that we all work together as a team. The old formula of being at daggers drawn hasn’t worked. We need to proactively involve each constituent in the running of school affairs. Ideas need to be polled from all quarters. Even though I am not sure of how exactly this should work but I know that a situation where ASUU leaves the school administration to only the VC and his team is old school. A “them” against “us” situation pitches us against ourselves thereby giving Hurricane Unemployment unfettered access to destroy our peace and progress. Because the school administration isn’t getting as much money as it needs, a lot of schools have resorted to setting up micro enterprises/industries as a means to raise additional funds. That is laudable, though largely below its potential promise. But imagine a situation where these enterprises were jointly managed
Source: carsonscholars.org
by lecturers and students, with the school administration, lecturers and students as joint owners under a private shares scheme? With students as the workers, this can be a source of revenue and an entrepreneurial learning opportunity. So imagine a bakery, pure water factory, farm, transport system, or even hostels jointly owned and managed by a school administration, lecturers and students combined? Leveraging on Groups A lot of potential lies within existing groups which can be exploited in this war against unemployment.For example, religious groups need to mobilize their resources to assist members by providing enlightenment and support structures towards increasing employability or entrepreneurial development. Old student associations can also pool their resources together to help alma maters. Organisations within the same sector should also come together to tackle one or two huge projects against youth unemployment. Imagine if all the big Telcos (MTN, Airtel, Glo and Etisalat) came together to sponsor an anti-unemployment project? You just imagine the amount of millions of dollars of cash and expertise that could be thrown into it and the results we could get? Public Private Partnerships against unemployment No one can solve the unemployment problem alone. We feel the Federal Govt is better equipped to do this BUT that is yet to happen. Should we then fold our hands until millions of people and dreams die? Never! That which you can pitch in, pitch in. However there is strength in unity. I propose for more public private partnerships (PPP) against unemployment. PPP is a business relationship between a private-sector company and a government agency for the purpose of completing a project that will serve the public. Public-private partnerships can be used to CONTINUED ON PAGE 43