NDE lauds FG’s vocational skills integration in schools, says it’ll engender employment

BY STEPHEN GBADAMOSI

Director General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), Mr. Silas Ali Agara, has expressed support for the Federal Government’s policy of introducing 15 vocational skills into Nigeria’s primary and secondary school curricular.

Agara expressed the belief that the initiative would drive substantial youth employment under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Making these remarks in Abuja on Wednesday in a statement made available to journalists, the NDE DG went further to describe the policy as a “pragmatic and far-reaching component” of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He said President Tinubu’s endorsement highlighted a commitment to addressing unemployment, non-productivity, and youth restiveness “in a nation with one of the world’s largest youth populations.”

The NDE DG also emphasised that the policy reflected Tinubu’s goal to foster a generation of skilled, focused, and empowered young Nigerians equipped to impact their world.

Agara explained that the new curriculum overhaul was part of a comprehensive strategy of the current administration to create jobs, boost productivity, and drive economic growth, adding that the strategy included initiatives across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

“At the NDE, we are implementing practical steps to fulfill our mandate, especially with President Tinubu’s active focus on youth issues. It’s encouraging that the government has introduced 15 core skills into the nine-year basic education curriculum for public and private schools nationwide,” Agara noted.

He further explained that by embedding these skills in the curriculum, the administration prioritised early skill acquisition to empower the country’s youth to contribute to national productivity through self-employment and creation of goods and services.

“This is why the Federal Government is building 91 vocational schools within secondary schools, 24 skill and vocational hubs in polytechnics, and establishing entrepreneurship centers in universities nationwide, as part of efforts to promote skills, technology, and vocational education for job creation,” he added.

Agara further stated that the NDE was examining the new policy to integrate it with its ongoing interventions, ensuring Nigerians were prepared for gainful employment opportunities.

He highlighted the inclusion of agriculture and food processing—such as crop production, beekeeping, horticulture, and poultry production—as part of the vocational skills, which he believed was vital to Nigeria’s food security and self-sufficiency.

Meanwhile, industry experts have praised the initiative, noting that it would cultivate a generation of skilled young Nigerians equipped with technical training and entrepreneurship capabilities, primed for sustainable employment and contributing to national economic growth.