The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Umar Ganduje, has called for an urgent review of the academic curriculum in Nigeria’s universities to foster employable skills and address the nation’s challenges.
Speaking at the Progressives Enterprise Skills Development Programme in Lagos, Ganduje emphasized the need for a curriculum that produces graduates with practical skills rather than just English-speaking abilities.
Represented by APC National Deputy Chairman, South, Chief Emmanuel Enoku, Ganduje highlighted the successful models of countries like China and India, where skill development is integrated into primary and secondary education.
He pointed out that these countries produce children capable of building complex devices, such as telephones, due to their hands-on learning approach.
“In our context, our universities only produce graduates who are English-speaking people, who cannot embark on the development of anything useful to society,” Ganduje said. He stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to combat insecurity would be futile without educational reform.
Ganduje urged the inclusion of practical courses in university curricula, such as blacksmithing, farming, and trading, to ensure that graduates are equipped with skills that are directly applicable to society’s needs. He asserted that a shift from theoretical learning to practical training is essential for meaningful progress.
The event, named ‘The Enterprise Skills Development Tracing (EDET) Programme,’ aimed to promote skills development among young entrepreneurs in Lagos, reinforcing the APC’s commitment to addressing youth unemployment and enhancing national security through education reform.
Oreoluwa is an accountant and a brand writer with a flair for journalism.
