Fubara Calls for Vocational Education Reform, Says Degrees Alone Won’t Solve Nigeria’s Unemployment Crisis

Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara has called for a major shift towards vocational and technical education, arguing that Nigeria’s heavy focus on academic certificates without practical skills is worsening unemployment and limiting economic growth.

Fubara made the call on Wednesday at an event in Rumuola, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he stressed the need to equip young Nigerians with skills that can help them secure jobs or build businesses of their own.

The governor said Nigeria should revive the principles behind the 6-3-3-4 education system, which was designed to expose students to vocational and technical training based on their abilities and interests. He argued that young people should acquire practical skills before completing secondary school.

According to Fubara, the education system should not prepare students only to search for employment after graduation. Instead, it should give them the ability to create value, become self-employed and, where possible, employ others.

He also highlighted the role of polytechnics in developing technically skilled Nigerians. Fubara said the institutions were created to cater for people whose strengths lie in practical and technical work rather than purely academic pursuits.

“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,” he said.

The governor further pointed to entrepreneurship centres as an important part of preparing young people for the labour market. He said such programmes should help students develop practical abilities that can turn them into employers of labour rather than leave them dependent on scarce white-collar jobs.

Fubara added that rapid technological changes are reshaping the workplace and making it more important for Nigeria’s education system to combine academic learning with practical and technical skills. He said a stronger focus on vocational education could help young Nigerians become more productive and reduce the country’s unemployment burden.