In a bid to encourage entrepreneurship and improve country’s economy, the federal and state governments have been urged to accommodate skills acquisition in the school curriculum.
Mrs Alaba Ehindero, Executive Director, Zion Care Life & Family Impact Foundation (ZIONCLIFF) in an interview with AFRICAN NEWS TODAY opined governments should encouraged youth creativity and arouse their interest in acquiring sustainable skills.
According to her, Skills for SDGs-Preneurship should be included in the Secondary Schools’ Curricula especially for Senior Secondary School classes. “Some Tertiary Institutions already included enterprenual skills acquisition in the general studies courses and is made compulsory for University’s students.
“Even on personally basis, many youths enrol for part-time Vocational Skills training. Government encouragement will arouse their interest in acquiring sustainable skills by recognising their work, rewarding them openly with small grants, by patronising local businesses so they can thrive, and by allocating part of the budget for entrepreneurship to facilitate trainings, she said
Ehindero, an advocate of Sustainable Development Goal#8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, said the government should attract and encourage Vocational skills for economic development of the country.
Olufisayo Agoye, a youth and Chief Executive Officer, Tilsat Glæde Couture said skill acquisition is non negotiable in securing a better future for Nigerian youths and the stability of the country’s economy. ”
“Skills acquisition is very important in a nation where millions of graduates are on the lookout for few available jobs daily. Having one or more skills separates one from the rest who are desperately in need of employment for survival, she said
She added that the youth should be bold enough to start their own business that can be grown into a big organization and becoming an employer of labour.
“Government should also have a fund set aside to assist young entrepreneurs to start off as this is a major hindering factor in establishing most businesses. This will give a sense of security which is almost unrealistic with being employed and will also help in the development of our Nation.”
“Government should find a way to inculcate skill acquisition into secondary. Government should make the students learn a skill during long holidays as IT which should be made compulsory. Also parents should encourage this as it will definitely help both parties in the long run, she advised.
This post was written by Debo Omilani.
The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.