By Gabriella Ogbu

Nigeria’s school curriculum has come under fire after All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje criticized the outdated system, blaming it for the nation’s high unemployment rate.

Ganduje’s comments were made at a time when millions of young Nigerians are struggling to find respectable work as the country’s unemployment crisis deepens. He claims that the current curriculum fails to equip students with the necessary skills to compete in the modern labor market, contributing to rising unemployment rates.

Speaking at the opening of the party’s National Youth Leader Dayo Israel’s Enterprise Skills Development Training (EDET) program for youths in Lagos, Ganduje expressed his belief that adopting a skills-based approach could transform Nigeria’s educational system. This, he argued, would produce graduates who are not only theoretically sound but also practically equipped to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal progress.

The immediate past governor of Kano State, represented at the event by the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Emma Eneukwu, called for a radical revision of Nigeria’s educational curriculum. He cited the country’s high unemployment rates and societal vices as a result of its emphasis on theoretical learning.

Eneukwu lamented that, unlike their counterparts in countries such as China and India, where skill learning is incorporated into the curriculum from primary through secondary school, Nigerian graduates are proficient in English but lack practical skills. He said, “In Nigeria today, our curriculum is focused on theories. We churn out graduates who are experts in theories but have no skills to take on entrepreneurship. Our graduates lack skills to develop anything that is going to help in the services of the society. So they end up indulging in different vices because there was no proper skill development in the tertiary institutions they attended.”

He continued, “We produce graduates who are only good at speaking English but cannot embark on the development of anything viable to society. They can’t boast of producing anything except speaking English. There’s nothing we can do to get it right except to change the curriculum. How do we change it? It is for us to include skills acquisition and practical learning in the curriculum.”

The APC chairman urged young people to reconsider their strategies and prioritize learning a trade while still in school, emphasizing that certification alone is insufficient. He pushed them to think creatively, hone their talents, and start their own businesses where they would serve society.

Ganduje underlined that individuals must create their own opportunities and contribute to Nigeria’s growth and development because the government cannot supply jobs for everyone. “If you attend college to obtain the necessary training and credentials but are unable to secure a white-collar job, please give up, shed your haughty appearance, and pick up a talent so that you may benefit your family, the community, and yourself.

“As there are no jobs available elsewhere, let’s not wait on the government to provide them. Recognize that we are the ones who will generate employment for both ourselves and others. Therefore, you will not succeed if you have no services to provide.

He emphasized, “We will all need to help the president change the face of this country by learning a skill.”