SAGE Nigeria
Students for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship
SAGE COMPETITIONS
At the end of the academic year, all SAGE teams from a local secondary school or organization (e.g., Boys and Girls Club; After-School Learning Centers; Faith-Based Organization, such as a church/synagogue/mosque) will come together to form a presentation team representing their organization. This SAGE team will present the results, both orally and in writing, of their activities to a panel of influential leaders in the community. The team that does the best job of presenting their activities, according to the judging criteria, advances to the next level of competition (e.g., from state to national, and to global).
BACKGROUND
Most entrepreneurship education programs throughout the country, if they exist at all in secondary schools, have focused on curriculum reform/content development and many are delivered in traditional text-based ‘chalk and talk’ lecture/recitation environments. While the content is usually sound, it neither engages students nor changes their behavior regarding the practice of micro enterprise development, community service or financial literacy in their own lives.
The challenge is to make that content relevant and ‘hook’ the students. It is one thing to be able to claim that a student has learned the principles of financial management and can pass a test covering the materials learned in the classroom. It is sometimes altogether different, and more meaning, to have that same student apply their financial knowledge to managing their own lives, and their own finances.
Rather than becoming yet another body of knowledge to be memorized, tested and forgotten, if entrepreneurship and community service education is made relevant, it becomes an integral part of that student’s vocabulary and mindset as they create businesses; seek jobs or move on to their vocational school or university years and into the ‘real world’ SAGE provides such relevance.
PURPOSE
The purpose of the program is to help make future dreams come true for Nigerian young people by teaching them entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills needed to be successful. With the emphasis on standardized testing and university preparedness, many important job and career training skills are not taught effectively in secondary schools. SAGE Nigeria targets to create a dynamic network of proactive young social – entrepreneurs who are taking actions and volunteering for the pursuit of the attainment of the MDGs. (MDGs Youth Ambassadors!)
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Under the helpful and guiding eye of their university business consultants and mentors, SAGE provides Secondary school aged students with an opportunity to complete business and social ventures to improve their communities. At the end of the academic year, the student teams showcase their efforts on a state, national and world stage. It is a free, non-membership service available to all advocates of education in private and social entrepreneurship.
A team of high-school students is first organized and at least two mentors are identified from local businesses and universities. The size of a team ranges from five to fifty members. With guidance from their university mentors, the team must then complete at one Socially Responsible Business (SRB) venture and one community service venture or Socially Enterprise Business (SEB) venture during the academic year.
At the end of the academic year, teams come together to showcase their efforts through interscholastic tournaments These competitions provide an opportunity to not only show off their efforts, but, also, “benchmark” themselves against other teams for future improvements. The “referees” for these competitions come from local and international businesses, as well as the civic, nonprofit, and education communities.
MEET THE SAGE NIGERIA’S TEAM
Founder/CEO, SAGE Global -
Prof. Curtis De-berg
President/CEO SAGE Nigeria -
Mr. Agwu Amogu
MEET OUR BUSINESS ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SAGE NIGERIA PRESIDENT
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