Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has called for a major shift from Nigeria’s traditional emphasis on university degrees and academic certificates towards vocational and technical education, saying practical skills are critical to reducing unemployment and driving economic growth.
Fubara made the call on Wednesday while commissioning three major infrastructure projects at the Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Rumuola, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The governor said Nigeria’s education system must be redesigned to reflect the demands of the 21st-century economy, with greater emphasis on vocational training, technical skills, entrepreneurship and practical learning.
According to him, equipping young people with employable skills would create opportunities for self-employment and enable graduates to become job creators rather than depend solely on scarce white-collar jobs.
‘Certificates alone cannot solve unemployment’
Fubara recalled that the 6-3-3-4 education system, introduced in Nigeria in the 1980s, was originally designed to expose students to vocational and technical education.
He said students were expected to acquire practical skills, trades or crafts during their education, enabling them to become self-reliant after completing secondary school.
However, he lamented that the country had gradually moved away from that vision, resulting in a society where young people often prioritise university degrees even when their strengths and interests may lie in technical or practical fields.
The governor argued that the excessive pursuit of certificates without corresponding practical competencies was contributing to the country’s unemployment challenge.
He also described polytechnics as institutions designed to develop students with technical abilities and help them transform those abilities into productive skills that can contribute to society.
Technology changing the future of work
Fubara said rapid technological advancement had fundamentally changed the nature of employment, making it necessary for educational institutions to prepare young Nigerians for emerging opportunities.
“Today, technology has taken over everything. So if we have to prepare our youths; if we have to prepare our dear state, for the challenge ahead, our educational programmes have to be very strategic.”
He said the Entrepreneurship Centre at the polytechnic was established to provide students with practical competencies that could help them establish businesses and create employment opportunities.
The governor added that government projects should not simply be measured by their physical completion but by their ability to solve problems and improve people’s lives.
New facilities commissioned
Speaking on the projects, the Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr Peter Nwagor, said two one-storey buildings had been constructed and fully furnished for the School of Engineering and Entrepreneurship Centre.
Each building covers approximately 1,940 square metres and contains eight halls, 14 staff offices and 22 toilet facilities. The spaces are also air-conditioned and equipped to support practical training.
The third project, the Governing Council Building, was initiated under the administration of former Governor Nyesom Wike and completed and furnished by the Fubara administration.
The Rector of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Dr Moses Neebee, described the projects as major landmarks for the institution, noting that the Entrepreneurship Centre and other facilities represented some of the most significant developments on the campus in nearly two decades.
Fubara also urged students, staff and the host community to protect the new facilities and equipment from vandalism and theft, stressing that the projects belong to the people and should be treated as community assets.
He further called for continued peace and political stability in Obio/Akpor and across Rivers State, describing stability as essential for sustainable development.
The governor’s message highlights a growing policy debate in Nigeria: whether the country’s education system should place greater emphasis on practical skills, technical training, entrepreneurship and digital competencies alongside traditional academic qualifications.
