Sir: At this time when there is a high rate of unemployment, the Federal Government would easily be blamed for not equipping or encouraging craft work or hand work among the youths right from primary school.
Indeed, if there were technical schools in the country, pupils and students would come out of school with requisite skills that would make them self-reliant. I am persuaded that with skills acquired in school, the economy would be better for it.This is why I am making a case for technology-based education in Nigeria.
Therefore, I urge the government to develop a programme that would help youths to develop their talents. For our youths to measure up, like their counterparts in other nations, government needs to encourage craft work or hand work from primary schools to university level, as it was before. This would be done by establishing technical or craft schools, where students would develop their knowledge and skills.
At the university level, polytechnics and university of technologies must be given a priority. Instead of rating Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) low, holders of such certificates should rather be rated higher than those in university because of the skills they acquired in schools.
Needless to say that polytechnic education is skill-based, while university education is more of theory. I believe that polytechnic graduates should berecognised more than they are now; they would create jobs, by establishing their own businesses instead of looking for white collar jobs that are non-existent. To ensure that our education is skill-based, the government should change the curriculum in higher institutions.
The government should organise an education summit, where vice chancellors, rectors and other leaders in higher institutions would come together and chart a new course for the education sector. However, I must add that the way to go is skill acquisition.
However, if we fail to develop a curriculum that will ensure that our teeming youths acquire requisite skills, we risk the chances of being a nation without the vital manpower, in a technological world.
Japan, China, Taiwan and other Asian Tigers are growing in economy and technology because of their focus on skill acquisition and technology. We must emulate them. That’s why government must invest in skill acquisition and technology if the country will move forward.
Edeson Effiong wrote from Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos.
