Current unemployment rate in Nigeria as at quarter 4 2020, stands at 33.3% according to the Nigerian bureau of statistics NBS. This simply means more than half of our working population which stands at 69.7millions persons are either outrightly doing nothing of working jobs that can not guarantee their daily survival in this hostile economy of ours.

 

This unemployment rate is an all time high and Nigeria is only second to Namibia when it comes to unemployment. I don’t think this information should come as a surprise to anyone in his/her right senses. But the baffling thing about thing is, the government have chosen to play the ostrich and engaging in cosmetic approach to solving this menacing problem.

 

The fact remains our educational system and curriculum, are tailored to create job seekers not job creators. A Nigerian graduate after national service, is totally clueless on how to survive without a nine to five job. Hence we see all kinds of mediocre businesses spring up here and there that end up folding up after a year or two.

 

There has to be a deliberate, purposeful and sincere move to root out this menacing giant from our society before it brings it to it’s knees. There should be a total rejig and overhaul of our Academic curriculums, tailored uniquely to prepare young people and equip them with requisite skills needed to survive outside the four walls of a classroom.

 

Entrepreneurship and skill acquisition should be taught from secondary up to tertiary Level of education. It should be made compulsory in WAEC and the exams should be exhibition based and not theory based. Every student upon graduation from secondary school should have a vocational skill, as well as an IT skill.

 

By IT I don’t mean how to turn on and off a computer as we are seeing today, I mean graphics, coding, hacking and to mention but a few.

The government should establish well equipped IT centers were secondary school student spend minimum of 3months a year, learning an IT skill. The school calendar should be designed to incorporate industrial training and skill acquisition. And this centers should be provided by the government.

 

Our subject should be tailored uniquely to solve our problem and not spending years studying things that have zero real life applications or relevance in today’s society. Until then, more POS boots will keep spring up here and there and singlets and boxers vendors, will keep flooding our timeline on social media.