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WATER EDUCATION AND INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTIn the past two years RC-IRBM has, in collaboration with UNESCOin Paris, organized two international workshops aimed at the developmentand implementation of modular curricula for tertiary, technicaland vocational water education in IWRM in Nigeria. The workshopsbrought together renowned international water experts and professionalsfrom different scientific backgrounds in Nigeria, Namibia, Sudan,Senegal, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Ghana, Serbia, South Korea andChina. The experts put together their experience in water educationaspects and fashioned a common and shared strategy which led to thedevelopment 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 ofUnderstanding (MoU) with RC-IRBM for collaboration in researchand staff exchange. The collaborative research study designatesthe Gurara River Basin in north-central Nigeria as a HELP basin.Water demand allocation and management is the main focus ofthe research. RC-IRBM was also represented at the GroundwaterGovernance Regional Consultative and Global GroundwaterMonitoring Network workshops held in Nairobi, Kenya.UNESCO’s Abuja Office has collaborated with RC-IRBM to hold aworkshop on ‘Strengthening the UNESCO International HydrologicalProgramme (IHP) and Man and Biosphere Programme NationalCommittees for effective water governance, biosphere reservationmanagement and biodiversity conservation’. The workshop washosted by RC-IRBM and attended by about 43 participants fromgovernment ministries, departments and agencies, academic institutionsand non-governmental organizations, as well as privateApproaches to skills development in the water sector in Nigeria302520151050Source: NWRIFurther EducationalTraining (FET)Higher EducationalTraining (HET)In service trainingBursary supportInternshipsMentorshipRecognition of prior learning(RPL) short coursesCapacity building strategyand financingOtherindividuals. The main objective of the workshop was tostrengthen the capacities of the national committees toplay active roles and contribute meaningfully to nationaland international issues that relate to water, biodiversityand environmental management.The UNESCO African Regional Office in Nairobi hasinitiated preparation of an African Water ResourcesCapacity Building Programme in line with the frameworkof UNESCO-IHP which follows a recommendation by thethird regional meeting of national IHP committees of sub-Saharan Africa. RC-IRBM has been commissioned by theregional office to coordinate the programme at nationaland regional levels. An MoU to that effect has been signedand the programme execution has commenced.In order to raise and encourage an army of interestedyouths who, as future leaders, will commit themselvesto water-related careers and safeguard our preciousresource, the Nigerian Junior Water Price Competitionwas established. The event brings together young andbright scientists from Nigerian high schools and tertiaryinstitutions to stimulate their interest in solving challengesin the water sector; produce a credible selectionsystem in which the young scientists can produce innovativescientific projects; and encourage them to aspireto compete with young people from other nations inthe area of scientific problem solving for global solutionsto water-related challenges. Furthermore, NWRIhas established meteorological stations in 10 schools inKaduna metropolis for teaching and research purposes.It has encouraged the schools to imbibe the culture ofweather monitoring and data recording and, at the sametime, interpret results and develop skills in weatherforecasting. Youth empowerment training courses arebeing run for unemployed young engineers and scientists,bicycle repairers and other technicians in the areasof water well drilling, fabrication of water well drillingrigs, plumbing works, household water infrastructureand hand pump maintenance.To improve rural water supply and sanitation inNigeria, NWRI is currently collaborating with theJapan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) toexecute a training and research project at the institutecalled ‘The Project for Enhancing the Function ofRural Water Supply and Sanitation Centres for CapacityDevelopment’ (RWSSC). The vision of the centre isto be the hub for rural water supply and sanitation,capacity development and information disseminationin Nigeria. The main objectives of this project are to:• produce capacity development plans of sectororganizations for improved services delivery• provide training courses appropriate to the varioussector stakeholders• develop and produce appropriate training modulesand manuals, monograms and extension materials• establish and effectively manage NWRCBNet• support the production and upgrading ofhydrogeological maps• establish a national water resources websiteaccessible to all stakeholders.[ 146 ]