How To Tackle Unemployment In Nigeria – Modupe Adelabu

Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu (middle) receiving an award from the Vice Chancellor of Joseph Ayo Babalola University(JABU), Ikeji Ararkeji, Prof. Sola Fajana as a Fellow of Joseph Ayo Babalola University(JABU), Ikeji-Ararkeji and for her contriburion to the development of the university. With them is JABU's Registrar, Mr Wale Aderibigbe.

The introduction of entrepreneurship education into the school curricula, the introduction of vocational and technical education and the review of departmental courses and syllabuses were the main planks of solutions proffered by the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof

Modupe Adelabu to solve the nation’s unemployment problem. Prof Adelabu spoke at Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State as guest lecturer at the 3rd Distinguished Lecture of Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU).
In her lecture entitled: “Globalization, transformation and imperative for changes through entrepreneurship education in Nigeria”, the deputy governor attributed the inability of Nigeria’s education to stand on its feet to the lack of government’s will-power to tackle the issue of human capital development head-on.

Picking holes in the nation’s academic curriculum, the deputy governor described as regrettable that tertiary institutions produce graduates without equipping them with relevant job content that would make them self-reliant.

Hers words: “The current academic curriculum prepares recipients with little or no job-related content, while entrepreneurship education includes a wide-range of subjects with work-based content.
“Unemployment is rampant in Nigeria like other nations because of the mismatch between the need of employers and the stock of job-specific human capital produced by educational training institutions.
“While graduates complain of high level unemployment, employers on the other hand, complain that the graduates are poorly prepared and therefore unemployable.
According to her, the incorporation of entrepreneurship education into the secondary and tertiary institutions’ curricula will transform the youths from being job-seekers to employers of labour immediately after leaving schools.

Urging the government to furnish varsities with basic academic amenities, the deputy governor also canvassed a review of the courses being offered by departments, even as she noted that the reintroduction of vocational and technical skills acquisition at all levels of education will reduce youth unemployment.
She said: “For a meaningful education that will make our graduates employable and self-sufficient, it is high time our universities started taking a look at entrepreneurship education which bridges the gap between education, employment and sustainable living.”

Last modified: January 22, 2014