Unemployment: Fubara urges shift to vocational, technical education

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has called for a shift towards vocational and technical education in Nigeria's educational curriculum. At the inauguration of a new Entrepreneurship Centre, Engineering Faculty Building and Governing Council Building at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Fubara emphasized that the current focus on academic qualifications over practical skills is a key contributor to unemployment and economic stagnation in the country.

He stated that the 6-3-3-4 educational system, adopted in the 1980s, was designed to prepare students for vocational and technical education in secondary schools, with the expectation that they would pursue further education at polytechnics or universities based on their abilities and talents. Fubara lamented that over time, the country has strayed from this vision, leading to graduates who possess degrees but lack relevant skills.

The governor's initiative aims to create a facility to equip young people with essential skills to become employers rather than job seekers, aligning educational programs with the demands of the 21st-century workforce.