UNEMPLOYMENT: Prioritise Technical and Vocational Education – Former NASENI Boss Urges Northern Governors
A former Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Prof. Mohammad Sani Haruna has advised Northern governors to pay attention to technical education to address unemployment in the region.
He said palliatives and other interventions cannot be sustainable and will never be sufficient.
He also recommended the adoption of Asian Tiger model technology to enable the nation to attain industrial economy.
Haruna, who made the call while delivering the maiden convocation lecture of the Federal Polytechnic, Daura asked Northern governors to restore the glory of crafts.
He said: “Education is in the concurrent list and Northern state Governors have no excuse but to restore the glories of crafts, vocational schools and technical colleges and the polytechnics.
” Palliatives and other interventions cannot be sustainable and will never be sufficient. Citizens must fish by themselves in an enabling environment.
” Technical and Vocational Education must be given highest priority in this region and should receive the highest allocation of fund and political will.
“The teaching and exposure should start at elementary school and in Hausa Language to catch them young using familiar illustrations and instruments that demystify the sciences and mathematics.
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” The curriculum must be reviewed to meet the demand of the industrial sector. The inventors from the? Venture capital should be instituted to support commercialization and mass production of tested and proven innovations.”
“Everyone needs to fear Allah most importantly and be accountable of all under his purview. Leaders must lead by example, be patriotic and transparent.”
Haruna also recommended the adoption of Asian Tiger model technology to enable the nation to attain industrial economy.
He added: “The future of Nigeria and Nigerians cannot be left at the mercy of fluctuating chances and what I call gambling with the most critical aspects of our survival.
” The country can be rescued from economic vicissitude by emulating and adopting the Asian Tigers and the Tiger Cubs. Only home grown science and technology innovations build on sound human capacity through technical education can lead to sustainable industrial economy.
” Developed and developing nations such as Japan, China, Singapore, Germany, United States of America, and the Tiger Cubs (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines) have attained tremendous heights in terms of Industrialization because of consistent but substantial investment in TVET in all economic ramification of their citizens
On the depreciation of the Naira, he said the only way to avert the slide is a return to manufacturing with local tools and local raw materials.
” The point is we cannot save the Naira from continue depreciation until we return to manufacturing with local raw material, produce major components and machine tools, manpower development and processes.” “This is only achievable if we overhaul educational system which prioritise technical education to meet, the demand of our socio-economic endeavor,” he said.
By PRNigeria
