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ater

ducation

and

nstitutional

evelopment

In the past two years RC-IRBM has, in collaboration with UNESCO

in Paris, organized two international workshops aimed at the develop-

ment and implementation of modular curricula for tertiary, technical

and vocational water education in IWRM in Nigeria. The workshops

brought together renowned international water experts and profession-

als from different scientific backgrounds in Nigeria, Namibia, Sudan,

Senegal, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Ghana, Serbia, South Korea and

China. The experts put together their experience in water education

aspects and fashioned a common and shared strategy which led to the

development of curricula for water education on IWRM for tertiary,

technical and vocational institutions in Nigeria and West Africa.

The Jaroslav Cerni Institute has signed a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) with RC-IRBM for collaboration in research

and staff exchange. The collaborative research study designates

the Gurara River Basin in north-central Nigeria as a HELP basin.

Water demand allocation and management is the main focus of

the research. RC-IRBM was also represented at the Groundwater

Governance Regional Consultative and Global Groundwater

Monitoring Network workshops held in Nairobi, Kenya.

UNESCO’s Abuja Office has collaborated with RC-IRBM to hold a

workshop on ‘Strengthening the UNESCO International Hydrological

Programme (IHP) and Man and Biosphere Programme National

Committees for effective water governance, biosphere reservation

management and biodiversity conservation’. The workshop was

hosted by RC-IRBM and attended by about 43 participants from

government ministries, departments and agencies, academic insti-

tutions and non-governmental organizations, as well as private

individuals. The main objective of the workshop was to

strengthen the capacities of the national committees to

play active roles and contribute meaningfully to national

and international issues that relate to water, biodiversity

and environmental management.

The UNESCO African Regional Office in Nairobi has

initiated preparation of an African Water Resources

Capacity Building Programme in line with the framework

of UNESCO-IHP which follows a recommendation by the

third regional meeting of national IHP committees of sub-

Saharan Africa. RC-IRBM has been commissioned by the

regional office to coordinate the programme at national

and regional levels. An MoU to that effect has been signed

and the programme execution has commenced.

In order to raise and encourage an army of interested

youths who, as future leaders, will commit themselves

to water-related careers and safeguard our precious

resource, the Nigerian Junior Water Price Competition

was established. The event brings together young and

bright scientists from Nigerian high schools and tertiary

institutions to stimulate their interest in solving chal-

lenges in the water sector; produce a credible selection

system in which the young scientists can produce inno-

vative scientific projects; and encourage them to aspire

to compete with young people from other nations in

the area of scientific problem solving for global solu-

tions to water-related challenges. Furthermore, NWRI

has established meteorological stations in 10 schools in

Kaduna metropolis for teaching and research purposes.

It has encouraged the schools to imbibe the culture of

weather monitoring and data recording and, at the same

time, interpret results and develop skills in weather

forecasting. Youth empowerment training courses are

being run for unemployed young engineers and scien-

tists, bicycle repairers and other technicians in the areas

of water well drilling, fabrication of water well drilling

rigs, plumbing works, household water infrastructure

and hand pump maintenance.

To improve rural water supply and sanitation in

Nigeria, NWRI is currently collaborating with the

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to

execute a training and research project at the insti-

tute called ‘The Project for Enhancing the Function of

Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Centres for Capacity

Development’ (RWSSC). The vision of the centre is

to be the hub for rural water supply and sanitation,

capacity development and information dissemination

in Nigeria. The main objectives of this project are to:

• produce capacity development plans of sector

organizations for improved services delivery

• provide training courses appropriate to the various

sector stakeholders

• develop and produce appropriate training modules

and manuals, monograms and extension materials

• establish and effectively manage NWRCBNet

• support the production and upgrading of

hydrogeological maps

• establish a national water resources website

accessible to all stakeholders.

Further Educational

Training (FET)

Higher Educational

Training (HET)

In service training

Bursary support

Internships

Mentorship

Recognition of prior learning

(RPL) short courses

Capacity building strategy

and financing

Other

Approaches to skills development in the water sector in Nigeria

Source: NWRI