The Federal Government is making plans to introduce a a ‘school-to-work’ scheme to equip youths to become productive and self-employed. The executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Hamid Bobboyi, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with commissioners for education, executive chairs of state and FCT Universal Basic, Education Boards and UBEC.
According to Mr. Bobboyi, the scheme targets learners in junior secondary schools and aims to address the issue of wasted potential experienced after completing junior secondary education, particularly among those who are not academically inclined. The initiative will provide at least six months of training, divided into two-month segments during each year of junior secondary school.
Why it matters?
The creative number of Nigerian seems to be growing daily with a lot of Nigerians expressing creativity in various skills aside academics
- There have also been recognition of the place of skill in the Nigerian system as an enabling force that can ensure profitability of our youths. Based on this, the federal government is taking initiatives to enpower youths especially those that are talented with not much skill for academics
- The government hopes that through this initiative many who would not be going back to further their education have a skill to sustain themselves in the society.
What they are saying?
To be able to facilitate this scheme the The executive secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Hamid Bobboyi called for the support of the commissioners and other stakeholders to ensure the success of the implementation of the scheme.
It will save the country the wastage being experienced after the junior secondary school education whereby those who are not academically inclined have no skills to develop for sustenance,” he said.
The director of basic education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Folake Davies, said the scheme is designed to provide youths with the requisite experience necessary to excel whenever they find themselves in the working environment.
“It further supports the students’ classroom knowledge by allowing them to gain insights into various vocations, technical, industrial, and business environments,” he said.
Bottom Line
The junior secondary school students’ empowerment scheme is a proactive step towards ensuring that every youth possesses the necessary skills to thrive in society. It embodies the principle of ‘catch them young,’ laying the groundwork for a more skilled and empowered workforce in the future.
