2 weeks Ago By David Meshioye
The continued relevance of Nigeria’s school curricula to the contemporary necessity of skills acquisition has, over the years, elicited justifiable concerns among stakeholders amid the widespread perception that education standards have continued to diminish in the last three decades. Indeed, the unfolding scenario in the field of career advancements at the turn of the Information Age sufficiently validates the fact that existing school curricula for primary and secondary schools have long fallen short of expectations. The curricula are deficient in terms of their relevance in delivering the requisite skills needed for manpower development and adaptability in the evolving age of innovation and technology.
Educational certification without specialisation and the valuable skills that meet modern employment markets carry no heavier weight in a competitive environment that is shaped by new technology and innovation. Without a doubt, emergent realities of the 21st Century demand proper appraisals of the education system to imbue manpower requirements in a continuously changing and rapidly globalising world. To be relevant in the increasingly connected and interdependent global space; countries are expected to finetune education curricula to enhance adequate exposure to information and technical know-how needed for driving individual aspirations and for promoting national development.
Thus, a holistic review of existing curricula; particularly in primary and secondary schools will not only reposition the education system for national development but also make teaching and learning more exciting and productive. School curricula that prioritise the acquisition of innovative and technological skills will empower pupils and students with the capacities to unleash creative abilities and endow them with the know-how for exploring career options as well as deploying competencies to undertake talent-based entrepreneurial opportunities. It is, therefore, a welcome development that the importance of mandatory vocational skills acquisition headlined the 68th National Council on Education (NEC) meeting held October 2024 with the theme “Innovation, Digital Technology and Entrepreneurship: Tools for Education and National Development in the 21st Century”.
The immediate past Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman announced the decision by the federal government to acquire at least two vocational skills a mandatory requirement for completing primary school education in Nigeria. The move, which is to ensure that young Nigerians acquire the requisite vocational and entrepreneurial proficiencies through skills acquisition is commendable and should be accorded the utmost priority through robust policy frameworks and implementation. It is however pertinent that the implementation of this significant policy should be pursued as a national agenda in the light of the large population of young people that would be positively impacted for productive future endeavours through the acquisition of at least one skill for vocational engagement.
Teaching vocational skills in primary and secondary schools would significantly change the negative narrative of widespread despondency amongst the overwhelmingly large population of Nigerian youth including those with higher degrees and postgraduate qualifications who wait endlessly for employment opportunities that are virtually not available in the country. Learning a skill or two will serve to complement theoretical knowledge and broaden the intellect for unleashing creative and innovative talents. It is indeed heart-warming that a “national skills framework’ is being developed to feed into the new curriculum for basic education to make the teaching of technical and entrepreneurial skills mandatory in meeting the needs of the country.
While there is no denying that the extant school curricula need to be holistically and objectively appraised with the view to enhancing the vocational and technical skills for entrepreneurial and other career engagements, the policy should however take into consideration the need for adequate investments in the requisite tools as well as human resources needed for successful implementation across the country. It is therefore imperative that the policy should be considered a national emergency by the government of the 36 states as well as 774 local governments across the country. The policy should also mandate stakeholders in the education system, particularly school proprietors to ensure diligent implementation for sustainability.
No doubt acquiring practical knowledge anchored on skills acquisition, innovation and self-reliance as a priority in the education system will translate into significant gains in addressing the hydra-headed challenge of the out-of-school syndrome, the rising phenomenon of school drop-out as well as the aberrant but prevalent fallacy of equating years of commitment to acquiring education as a waste of time or scam. It is particularly a welcome development that the new initiative is addressing issues relating to the functionality of the educational system in the country. If thoroughly implemented, the intervention can readily redress the growing dysfunctionality in the education system.
Proper implementation of the policy has the prospect of fixing the inadequacies inherent in the country’s education system which, as a consequence, makes school leavers unsuitable for vocational engagement. The policy can contribute to the employability of graduates. The implementation of the policy should not be unduly delayed as the country stands to benefit tremendously in the long run.
More importantly, the policy should not be frustrated through deliberate or inadvertent policy summersault; as well as lack of funding that often constitutes impediments to the implementation of policies..
