A Nigerian initiative providing free vocational and creative learning opportunities to public secondary school students has emerged as one of three finalists for the 2026 UNESCO-UNEVOC Global Awards for Innovation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
Key Highlights
- Summer School, run by Twim Institute in Oyo State, is a finalist in the resourceful innovation category of the 2026 UNESCO-UNEVOC Global Awards on TVET.
- It competes against an initiative from Brazil and Kenya’s FanikishaHUB.
- Founded in 2014 with about 20 students, the programme has reached more than 800 young people.
- Students train in media production, technology, fashion and culinary arts alongside academic activities.
- Winners will be announced in Berlin, Germany, from December 1 to 3, 2026.
The programme, known as Summer School, was selected in the resourceful innovation category, earning international recognition for its efforts to equip young people with practical skills and help students who have lost interest in formal education rediscover their potential.
The initiative, operated by Twim Institute in Oyo State, will compete against an interactive exhibition for innovation and learning in technical education from Brazil and FanikishaHUB, operated by Artcom Enterprise in Kenya.
From 20 Students To Over 800
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the institute’s Chief Executive Officer, Olumide Adeleye, the programme was established in 2014 with approximately 20 students but has since reached more than 800 young people.
The five-to-eight-week initiative runs during long school holidays and combines vocational training with academic activities to expose students to practical learning outside the conventional classroom environment.
Participants receive training in media production, technology, fashion and culinary arts, alongside mathematics, vocabulary exercises, quizzes, group projects and educational excursions.
Adeleye said the programme was inspired by his experience as a classroom teacher in a public school in an underserved community, where he witnessed students gradually losing interest in education and dropping out.
He explained that he established the initiative to demonstrate how practical and creative learning could restore students’ confidence and reconnect them with formal education.
“When learners build vocational skills and create with their hands, they discover they are not stupid. Give a child back their confidence, and they will fight to be successful,” he said.
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Beyond Written Examinations
The institute’s Chief Operating Officer, Moremi Adeleye, said the programme also provides an alternative platform for students whose abilities may not be adequately reflected through conventional written examinations.
She explained that students who struggle to communicate their ideas through written tests could demonstrate their abilities through activities such as video production, news reporting, sewing, cooking and collaborative projects.
According to her, successfully completing such practical assignments often helps students recognise their abilities and develop greater confidence in their academic pursuits.
UNESCO-UNEVOC, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, launched the awards in November 2025.
A total of 12 finalists were selected across four categories, with winners expected to be announced at an event scheduled to take place in Berlin, Germany, from December 1 to 3, 2026.
The recognition places the Nigerian initiative among international programmes being acknowledged for developing innovative approaches to technical and vocational education.
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