Fubara: Nigeria Must Prioritise Technical Skills Over Paper Qualifications

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has called for a significant overhaul of Nigeria's education system, urging a move away from an overemphasis on paper qualifications towards vocational and technical education (VTE). He contends that the nation's current focus is fueling unemployment and undermining its economic potential.

Speaking at the inauguration of projects at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Port Harcourt, Governor Fubara stressed the importance of equipping Nigerian youth with practical skills. He believes that technical and vocational competencies are crucial for enhancing employability, fostering entrepreneurship, and boosting overall productivity. A skills-driven education system, he argued, is vital for tackling the country's economic challenges.

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The polytechnic system was designed in such a way that if you’re gifted with your hands; if you’re a technical person, you can go there and learn more, build your skills so that you can add value to our society. But you know that somehow, our society don’t attach much importance to those level of people.

Fubara recalled Nigeria's 6-3-3-4 educational system, designed in the 1980s to integrate VTE at the secondary level, allowing students to pursue polytechnic or university education based on their aptitudes. He lamented that this vision has been largely abandoned, leading to a generation obsessed with certificates and degrees lacking relevance in the current labor market. He noted that the polytechnic system was intended for those with hands-on talents, but society often undervalues these skills, pushing individuals towards degrees that may not lead to meaningful employment.

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So even when you know that you can’t survive the rigours of academic works, you put your head, struggle to make sure you complete the six years, jump into one university, and come out with one degree that is not useful. That is part of the problem we are having in our society.