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Daniel Nwankwo (1st left) and a cross section
of guest speakers at the event in Lokoja recently. |
Unemployment: Academics charge
youths to embrace entrepreneurship skills
youths to embrace entrepreneurship skills
By Oyibo
Salihu, Lokoja
Salihu, Lokoja
Youths in
the country have been charged to embrace entrepreneurship and skills
acquisition in order to tackle unemployment challenges instead of
depending on what certificates alone can offer.
the country have been charged to embrace entrepreneurship and skills
acquisition in order to tackle unemployment challenges instead of
depending on what certificates alone can offer.
The charge
was made by seasoned academics, researchers and top entrepreneurs in their
various presentations at the “2019 Leverage Summit” with the theme:
” “Policies, Power and Entrepreneurship: A Tripod for Sustainable
Development”, held at the auditorium of the Federal University, Lokoja
(FUL) recently.
was made by seasoned academics, researchers and top entrepreneurs in their
various presentations at the “2019 Leverage Summit” with the theme:
” “Policies, Power and Entrepreneurship: A Tripod for Sustainable
Development”, held at the auditorium of the Federal University, Lokoja
(FUL) recently.
In her
presentation on “Skills acquisition: the missing curriculum in the
Nigerian academia, an employability problem for graduates”, a public health
parasitologist and head of Biological Sciences department at FUL, Dr Jacqueline Badaki, bemoaned the emphasis
placed on certificates in Nigeria as against the acquisition of practical
knowledge and skills required in the labour market.
presentation on “Skills acquisition: the missing curriculum in the
Nigerian academia, an employability problem for graduates”, a public health
parasitologist and head of Biological Sciences department at FUL, Dr Jacqueline Badaki, bemoaned the emphasis
placed on certificates in Nigeria as against the acquisition of practical
knowledge and skills required in the labour market.
She said,
for Nigerian graduates to be employable, there must be a paradigm shift towards
skill-oriented curriculum based on innovation and perceived needs while
academic institutions should collaborate with local industries and
multinationals for exchange of ideas and information.
for Nigerian graduates to be employable, there must be a paradigm shift towards
skill-oriented curriculum based on innovation and perceived needs while
academic institutions should collaborate with local industries and
multinationals for exchange of ideas and information.
“Government
must ensure that academic institutions are supplied with the necessary
infrastructure for knowledge and skill transfer. This can be made possible by
ensuring the existence of a support system for students to encourage active
study and entrepreneurial ventures.
must ensure that academic institutions are supplied with the necessary
infrastructure for knowledge and skill transfer. This can be made possible by
ensuring the existence of a support system for students to encourage active
study and entrepreneurial ventures.
“Institutions
of higher learning should consider the development of entrepreneur internship
programme by matching students with locally successful entrepreneurs with
clearly established education programmes. This is already happening in private
universities”, she said.
of higher learning should consider the development of entrepreneur internship
programme by matching students with locally successful entrepreneurs with
clearly established education programmes. This is already happening in private
universities”, she said.
A lecturer
and researcher based in the United Kingdom, Dr Chukwudi Okebaram, in his
presentation, called for an overhaul of the Nigeria’s education policy to
enhance productivity of the youth, adding that true education goes beyond
merely acquiring degrees without relevant workplace skills.
and researcher based in the United Kingdom, Dr Chukwudi Okebaram, in his
presentation, called for an overhaul of the Nigeria’s education policy to
enhance productivity of the youth, adding that true education goes beyond
merely acquiring degrees without relevant workplace skills.
He said
government must also prioritise funding of the education sector for optimum
results.
government must also prioritise funding of the education sector for optimum
results.
The keynote
speaker of the event, Professor Mohammed Audu, of the department of History and
International Relations at FUL, identified lack of accountability, corruption,
weak administrative mechanism, weak surveillance and heavy bureaucracy as some
of the factors militating against sustainable development in the country.
speaker of the event, Professor Mohammed Audu, of the department of History and
International Relations at FUL, identified lack of accountability, corruption,
weak administrative mechanism, weak surveillance and heavy bureaucracy as some
of the factors militating against sustainable development in the country.
Other
speakers at the event include Funke Paul Esseyin who spoke on “The
Nigeria’s Tomorrow by the Nigerians Today”; Reverend Ogbuju Emeka, who
spoke on “Data Governance and Entrepreneurship” and Dr (Mrs)
Philomena Baiyere, who spoke on “Purposeful Parenthood”.
speakers at the event include Funke Paul Esseyin who spoke on “The
Nigeria’s Tomorrow by the Nigerians Today”; Reverend Ogbuju Emeka, who
spoke on “Data Governance and Entrepreneurship” and Dr (Mrs)
Philomena Baiyere, who spoke on “Purposeful Parenthood”.
Professional
administrator and convener of the summit, Daniel Ikechukwu Nwankwo, in his
welcome remarks said the summit was put together to build solid foundations for
prosperous and productive future for Nigerian youths.
administrator and convener of the summit, Daniel Ikechukwu Nwankwo, in his
welcome remarks said the summit was put together to build solid foundations for
prosperous and productive future for Nigerian youths.
He urged
Nigerian youths to drop “blame-game” and strive to accomplish their
God-given dreams despite the challenges that might confront them.
Nigerian youths to drop “blame-game” and strive to accomplish their
God-given dreams despite the challenges that might confront them.
“The
youths could choose, like one Nigerian female lawyer, who against the
maltreatments of her step mother, insisted that she must be great and she grew
from torture, pain and hunger to a great lawyer”, he said.
youths could choose, like one Nigerian female lawyer, who against the
maltreatments of her step mother, insisted that she must be great and she grew
from torture, pain and hunger to a great lawyer”, he said.
Highlights
of the summit were the presentation of partial and full scholarships to some
undergraduate students of FUL by the convener of the programme.
of the summit were the presentation of partial and full scholarships to some
undergraduate students of FUL by the convener of the programme.