Marketable Skills Must Take Priority Over Certificates, Says Alausa

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has called for greater emphasis on market-relevant skills over academic certificates, urging stronger industry partnerships to prepare Nigerian youths for employment and entrepreneurship.

He said the Federal Government was expanding technical and vocational education, modernising curricula and promoting practical learning to bridge skills gaps and improve productivity.

Alausa spoke during a panel session on “Building Nigeria’s Future Workforce” at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja, organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group.

He disclosed that nearly 250,000 Nigerians had enrolled in the Federal Government’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, which operates through more than 1,200 accredited training centres and production hubs nationwide.

The minister said the government had streamlined the programme’s training areas from 82 to 28 after analysing labour market demands and identifying critical skills shortages.

He explained that the revised approach prioritised practical competence, with 80 per cent of training devoted to hands-on learning and 20 per cent to classroom instruction.

Under the scheme, eligible trainees receive a monthly stipend of N30,000, while participating centres receive N50,000 per learner monthly to support training delivery.

Alausa added that tuition remained free at federal technical colleges, describing vocational education as an important route to gainful employment, self-employment and enterprise development.

He said the programme attracted about 1.4 million applications within two weeks of the latest application portal opening, reflecting strong demand for skills acquisition opportunities among young Nigerians.

The minister also identified the revised national curriculum, which took effect from the 2025/2026 academic session, as a key part of efforts to align education with the country’s economic needs.

The reform reduces the number of subjects at the senior secondary school level and introduces Digital Technologies and trade subjects to strengthen digital literacy and practical skills.

On technology in education, Alausa said the ministry was encouraging teachers to use artificial intelligence for lesson planning and assessment.

However, he stressed that its adoption must not undermine children’s cognitive development, particularly at the primary school level.

On access to higher education, the minister disclosed that the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) had disbursed N372.62 billion to students and participating institutions as of September 29, 2026.

He said the ministry was also working with the National Universities Commission and other stakeholders to encourage universities to offer courses that reflect changing industry requirements.

Beyond formal education, Alausa emphasised the need to equip students with entrepreneurial skills to enable them to establish businesses and create jobs.

He disclosed that the Entrepreneurial Innovation and Business Incubation Certification programme was undergoing a pilot phase in 14 universities, with plans to extend it across universities from the next academic session.

The minister called for stronger collaboration among government, educational institutions and employers, urging industry players to help define occupational standards, shape curricula, assess practical competence and provide workplace training.

He said the impact of education reforms should not rest solely on enrolment figures and graduation rates but also on graduates’ ability to secure jobs, establish viable businesses, improve their earnings and contribute to national productivity.

The summit, held under the theme “Growth That Works”, brought together public and private sector stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving Nigeria’s economic performance and promoting shared prosperity.

Alausa reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to an education system that connects learning with the productive economy and equips Nigerian youths to compete in an increasingly technology-driven global labour market.