The House of Representatives is pushing to establish more vocational and technical institutions in a bid to tackle what it termed as alarming youth unemployment in Nigeria.
Abbas Tajudeen, speaker of the House of Representatives said Nigeria must shift its educational focus toward practical and technical skills if it hopes to address the alarming rate of unemployment.
He preceded that the 10th House of Representatives will ensure that technical education in Nigeria is not only qualitative but also accessible to all.
Declaring a public hearing on three bills seeking to establish technical and vocational institutions across the country, Abbas, who was represented by Auwal Gwadabe stressed that Nigeria’s development hinges on the integration of science, technology, and vocational education in its education system.
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Quoting statistics, the Speaker said about 55% of Nigerian youths are either unemployed or underemployed, largely due to a mismatch between their education and the needs of the job market.
“The main objective of these bills is to widen access to quality technical and vocational education. The future of our youth is being undermined by the lack of adequate opportunities to gain hands-on training and higher qualifications in technical fields,” he said.
“With the rise of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Big Data, it is no longer sufficient to focus solely on theoretical knowledge. Our educational institutions must evolve to equip young Nigerians with the practical skills needed to compete globally”, he further said.
In his remarks, Fuad Laguda, chairman of the House Committee on Federal Polytechnic and Higher Technical Education, called for bold ideas and innovative strategies that will equip young Nigerians with practical skills, technical expertise, and entrepreneurial knowledge for the modern workforce.
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Laguda emphasised that the bills aim to promote entrepreneurship, create jobs, and empower Nigerian youths to become employable and self-reliant, especially within their local communities.
He informed that the House supports the establishment of training institutions that will produce skilled technicians and mid-level professionals to drive the country’s industrialization and development.
