New Delhi: UNICEF’s global learning-to-earning solution, known as Passport to Earning (P2E), has successfully trained and certified over one million young individuals in India in the fields of financial literacy and digital productivity. This program aims to equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in the professional world, while also imparting them with essential financial literacy and digital proficiency.
This milestone denotes a significant progression towards equipping individuals with applicable skills for the future of work and life. Noteworthy is the fact that 62 percent of all young learners who have benefited from P2E courses in India are adolescent girls and young women.
Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, P2E offers free access to certificate courses in digital productivity, financial literacy, employability skills, and other in-demand, job-ready skills in India. The P2E solution also provides options for online, hybrid, and offline learning models.
The digital learning platform is committed to delivering sustainable skilling opportunities to 5 million youth aged 14-29 in India by 2024. Our goal is to empower them by connecting them to job prospects, self-employment options, and entrepreneurship opportunities so that they can achieve financial independence.
Sanjay Kumar, the Secretary of the Department of School Education & Literacy under the Ministry of Education, participated in an online program organized by UNICEF on October 11, 2023, which marked the UN International Day of the Girl Child. The purpose of this program was to celebrate the achievement of one million certifications of the Passport to Earning (P2E) program. The event was also attended by Dr. Krishna Kumar Dwivedi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship; Shri Nitesh Kumar Mishra, Joint Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MoYAS); and Ms Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF Representative to India.
Speaking at the occasion, Shri Sanjay Kumar said, ‘I am happy to note that UNICEF’s Passport to Earning (P2E) initiative uses technology to build 21st century skills for the holistic development of young people. The results speak for themselves: P2E has achieved 1 million+ course completions by 1 million unique young people in just 11 months since its launch. A big congratulations to all stakeholders who are a part of this journey.’
While speaking at the event, Cynthia McCaffrey said, ‘At UNICEF, we believe when girls and young women are equipped with tools, skills, and economic opportunities, they become an unstoppable force for a more inclusive and prosperous world. We are delighted that the Passport to Earning (P2E) program has reached the milestone of training a million young people in its first year, with 62% of the learners being young women.’
‘Aligned with the Government of India’s vision to drive progress through ‘Nari Shakti’ (woman power), the P2E program is dedicated to creating pathways for young women to enable their transition from learning to earning by connecting them with the right skills and opportunities to succeed and to lead the world to Agenda 2030,’ added Cynthia.
Dr. K.K. Dwivedi said that the Government often remarked that skill development of youth is a national need and is the foundation of Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) Bharat. I commend the efforts made by UNICEF India, YuWaah and partners in building the Passport to Earning (P2E) program. It is an important initiative to encourage collaboration between the Government, private sector, and civil society in nurturing a future-ready young workforce.
