NERDC partners UNIDO to review entrepreneurship curricula
NAN-H-102
Entrepreneur
By Jacinta Nwachukwu/ Uche Bibilari
Abuja, March 6, 2017 (NAN) The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) says it will partner with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), to review the Trades/Entrepreneurship curricula for senior secondary schools.
The Executive Secretary, NERDC, Prof. Ismail Junaidu disclosed this at the launching of the entrepreneurship curriculum project on Monday in Abuja.
Junaidu said that the curricula were developed with a view to equipping young school leavers with relevant work skills and entrepreneurial competencies.
He also said that the project would develop in them positive attitude towards self-employment.
He listed among other reasons adduced for the project to include, lack of relevant work-skills and competencies possessed by young school leavers due to absence of entrepreneurial skills in schools curricula.
“The fundamental intention for the development of the education curriculum is to ensure that every senior secondary school graduate is well prepared for higher education.
“Also to acquire relevant functional trade/entrepreneurship skills needed for poverty eradication, job creation as well as wealth generation.
“And to strengthen the foundations for ethical, moral and civic values acquired at the basic education level,” he added.
Junaidu explained that there would be capacity building and the training of teachers for effective teaching of the contents of the trades and entrepreneurship curricula.
He said that the Japanese government provided the fund for the curriculum review and enrichment phase of the project.
Mr Chuma Ezedinma, UNIDO Representative, said unemployment rate in Nigeria was recorded at 12.1 per cent in first quarter of 2016, adding that youth unemployment increased to 21.5 per cent from 19 per cent.
According to him, we have come to a crucial point in our educational system when many of our graduates can no longer find jobs and they have often be considered as “unemployable’’.
He said that the increase in unemployment has prompted the need for the project to empower secondary school leavers.
He said that the project would enable them to be productive and self reliance after school.
Ezedinma added that the situation has become so pathetic that questions are being asked as to relevance of our educational system.
UNIDO is a specialised agency of the United Nations which provides inclusive and sustainable industrial development.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, said that the development of any nation was measured in the quality of the technologies manpower she could offer her teeming youths.
He added that no nation develops beyond the skills of her citizens.
Adamu, who was represented by Mr Joel Ojo, Director, Technology and Science, Ministry of Education, said that the collaboration was aimed at enriching the curricula of trade subjects and instructional materials.
He said that the project would further strengthen, empower and lead to the development of skills for self reliance among our senior secondary schools.
“The entrepreneurship curriculum project has come at a time the nation is groaning under the weight of unemployment, there is a skill gap between the schools and the industries, which makes the graduates unemployable’’.
Mr Sadanobu Kusaoke, the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria said that lack of opportunities for the youths to learn entrepreneurial and industrial expertise may often result in persistent unemployment or underemployment.
Kusaoke, who was represented by Mr Yoshimra Chikara, said that the Government of Japan has decided to make the fund of five hundred thousand dollar available for the project.
He said that 27 senior secondary schools in nine states are being targeted as a pilot stage, adding that the results and experience from the pilot stage would be disseminated nationwide.
Kusaoke called on UNIDO and the ministry to secure more fund in order to spread the effects of the projects to other part of the country. (NAN)
JIN/UU/KOLE/AFA
Edited by Remi Koleoso/Felix Ajide