The Power Of Youth In Co-Creating Education
The Power Of Youth In Co-Creating Education
The International Day of Education is a moment to reflect not only on access to learning, but on how education is shaped, delivered, and experienced. Across the world, young people are no longer just recipients of education; they are active partners in shaping learning systems that respond to real challenges. Recognizing the power of youth in co-creating education is essential to building systems that are inclusive, innovative, and future ready.
Young Nigerians bring critical insight into the challenges learners face. As students themselves, they understand the challenges within the classroom, the limitations of an outdated curriculum, when their lessons feel disconnected from real life or when classrooms lack resources. In Lagos State, for instance, some student groups have partnered with school administrators to co-develop peer mentoring and homework support programs in public schools. These youth-led initiatives have helped struggling learners improve performance while building leadership skills among mentors. This collaborative model shows that when students are trusted with responsibility, education becomes a shared journey rather than something delivered to them and it also ensures that education is designed with real need in mind rather than assumptions.
Youth innovation is also reshaping education beyond traditional classrooms. During the pandemic and in its wake, young tech innovators across Nigeria developed digital learning tools to expand access. In Abuja and Kaduna, students and youth teams collaborated with nonprofit tech hubs to create mobile learning apps that provided free access to past exam questions, instructional videos, and study guides. These platforms provided recorded lessons, peer mentoring, and mobile-based learning, helping thousands of students stay connected to education despite limited resources and limited classroom attendance. The success of these tools demonstrates how digital solutions guided by young users themselves can extend educational reach and bridge gaps while supported.
Inclusion and equity are other areas where Nigerian youth are leading change. In parts of Northern Nigeria, youth advocates have joined efforts to promote education for girls and out-of-school children. Organizations like local youth forums have worked with schools and community leaders to tackle barriers like early marriage, economic pressure, and safety concerns. Through awareness campaigns, community dialogues, and mentorship programs, young advocates are helping shift social norms and increase enrollment and retention for girls proving that inclusion grows stronger when young voices are at the table.
Youth leadership in education also shows up in community-driven programs. In Rivers State, youth volunteers helped organize community libraries and reading clubs that give children spaces to learn outside formal school settings. These clubs, co-designed by young people and parents, offer reading materials, storytelling sessions, and peer-to-peer learning activities that foster a love for reading and lifelong learning. By co-creating these spaces, young people not only expand access to learning but also strengthen community bonds around education.
On this International Day of Education, we are called to recognize youth as more than learners, they are innovators, collaborators, and partners in education design. Governments, educators, communities, and institutions must create platforms where young Nigerians can influence policy, lead programs, and shape the future of learning. When youth become co-creators in education, we build systems that are more equitable, responsive, and ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
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