By Zainab Oyekan
“There is the need to review the curriculum in schools to ensure more focus on the development of basic skills to meet present and future challenges of globalization.
“As a nation, our curriculum was faulty from the beginning; too much emphasis was placed on paper qualification rather than skills acquisition.
“We have graduates of engineering who are unable to handle simple machines. They know the theories but lack basic skills knowledge,” Ari told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday in Jos.
The ITF boss suggested that more attention should be paid to empowering people with relevant skills right from the kindergarten stage.
“Our curriculum must be restructured to meet the needs of the country; we must strive to reduce poverty by encouraging skills for income generation.
“Young Nigerians need a curriculum that will encourage high participation in technical and vocational education,” he said.
He said that the ITF had carried out a research and found two gaps – skills in metals and solid minerals industry and skills on the agro-allied industry.
“As a nation, we cannot grow without skills. Practical skills remain the greatest thing and will always be relevant if we must make progress as a nation because without skills, you cannot achieve anything,” he explained.
He, however, said that imparting skills was capital intensive.
“Imparting skills is capital intensive, but the ITF, with the support of the Federal Government, has made huge progress in providing skills across the country,” he said, and commended the efforts of state governments in the training of the youths. (NAN)
