Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah yesterday called for massive investments in vocational education to help tackle the rising unemployment rate in Nigeria.
He made the call during the South East and South South Interregional Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) forum organised by the Science, Technical and Vocational Schools Management Board (STVSMB), Enugu State Chapter with support from Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).
Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chidiebere Onyia, emphasised the need for technical and vocational education, saying it is not only relevant but also responsive in the labour market demand which has become even more critical to addressing the challenges of youth unemployment in the country.
The governor said: “Across the regions, there is growing recognition that traditional academic pathways alone cannot address the employment needs of our growing youth population.”
The Director of the Catholic Institute of Development, Justice and Peace (CIDJAP), Enugu, Prof. Obiora Ike, said that every year, thousands of students who graduate from universities are not assured of jobs because they do not have on-demand skills they need to be productive in the labour market.
He regretted that while there has been too much talk about technical education, there has been less action, noting that we must “reimagine how we prepare our youth for the work ahead by bridging the gap between education and industry”.
He lauded the state government for his strong commitment in matching words with action in the education sector, saying the interregional cooperation would foster shared knowledge and support technical and vocational skills’ acquisition among the nation’s growing young population.
STVSMB Executive Chairman, Amaka Ngene, urged participants to engage meaningfully, share their experiences and forge partnerships that will drive meaningful change and economic prosperity across the regions.
She said: “We hope that the forum will strengthen collaboration, drive innovation and shape policy reforms in technical and vocational education. We are united to bridge the gap between technical and vocational education and the labour market.
