Fix the School-to-Work Transition for Nigerian SSCE Graduates

Nigeria's secondary school system produces graduates with a WAEC certificate and almost nothing else — no career guidance, no portfolio, no internship experience, no clear pathway to further education or entry-level employment. Most secondary schools have no careers service. The result is that graduates spend 12 to 24 months in a transition limbo that damages their long-term economic prospects. Your challenge is to design a school-to-work transition programme that begins in SS2 and delivers graduates who have: a documented career plan, at least one workplace experience (paid or unpaid), and a digital skills portfolio that employers or tertiary institutions can assess. The programme must be deliverable within the existing school timetable without requiring additional school fees. Submit a programme design document (max 10 pages) including: the structured curriculum from SS2 to post-WAEC, how workplace experiences are sourced and quality-controlled, what the digital portfolio contains, how the programme is funded (not through school fees), and a plan to pilot in 50 schools across three states. Judging criteria: 35% curriculum design quality, 30% workplace experience sourcing model, 20% portfolio design and employer relevance, 15% funding model.