Reps decry increasing unemployment rate in Nigeria

The House of Representatives on Wednesday expressed an urgent need to introduce skill acquisition as a compulsory subject into the basic education curriculum as part of ongoing efforts to tackle the rising unemployment rate in the country.

The lawmakers specifically expressed grave concerns over the statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which showed an increase in unemployment from 17.6 million to 20.9 million between 2017 and 2018.

In the bid to achieve this, the lawmakers tasked the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) with the need to review the Basic Education Curriculum with a view to make skills acquisition a compulsory subject.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored by Hon. Ganiyu Johnson.

In his lead debate, Hon. Johnson who observed that over the last two decades, innovation and creativity have become critical skills for achieving self-employment and national economic development, stated that skills acquisition and creativity are only being taught in Secondary Schools and Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria.

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“The House further notes that according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the total number of people classified as unemployed increased from 17.6 million to 20.9 million between 2017 to 2018 and keeps increasing due to the increase in Nigeria’s population.

“The House is aware that the current curriculum only prepares students towards acquiring academic qualifications without skills for self-employment.

“The House is also aware that skills acquisition, which may take the form of innovation and creativity, has become critical for achieving success in any given economy, however, the current curriculum centred on academic qualifications and government jobs alone are not enough for a sustainable economy.

“The House is cognizant that in Nigeria, there is a low level of practical adaptation of knowledge acquired, hence, there is a need to restructure the Basic Education curriculum by awakening the consciousness of the relevant Government Agencies.

“The House is also cognizant that the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) is responsible for curriculum development of Basic Education in Nigeria, encouragement, promotion, and coordination of educational research programs carried out in Nigeria, identification of educational problems in Nigeria which research is needed and the establishment of the order of priorities among others as being enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.

To this end, the House mandated the joint Committees on Basic Education and Services and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure compliance and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.