President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lamented the rate of graduate unemployment in the country urging universities administrators to ensure that the curriculum is in tune with the demands in the jobs market.
the president made the remark during the 36th Convocation Ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, Ondo State, where he was represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof. Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu,.
According to Tinubu, there has been a sharp rise in the number of graduates entering the job market, saying the curriculum should be designed in a such a way that graduates are not only employ themselves, but employers of labour, adding that the government alone cannot create the required jobs in the country.
On the government’s part, Tinubu stated it will promote policies that strengthen education, promote research funding, and foster collaborations between universities and industries, which he said will enable graduates in the country to contribute their own quota to the national growth.
Tinubu: “While it is agreed that the government alone cannot provide job opportunities directly for the teeming graduates of our higher educational institutions, the government will continue to create an enabling environment for investments and businesses to thrive; this administration recognises the critical role of science, technology, and innovation in our national development.
“We are, therefore, committed to policies that strengthen education, promote research funding, and foster collaborations between universities and industries.
“We are also pursuing the digital economy agenda, renewable energy initiatives, and infrastructure development, all of which open new opportunities for your graduates to contribute meaningfully to national growth and development.”
According to checks, Nigeria produces about 600,000 university and polytechnic graduates annually. This number is a significant factor contributing to the country’s high youth unemployment, as the number of graduates significantly exceeds the number of available formal jobs, analysts say.
They noted that the annual output contributes to a large pool of young people seeking employment, but the number of formal jobs created annually is significantly lower.
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