The Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State, Dr. Taofeek Abdul- Hameed, has charged government at all levels to prioritise entrepreneurship development to curb unemployment among Nigerians.
He said entrepreneurship programme is important and key to nation building, particularly at this crucial time that there is high rate of unemployment in the country.
Speaking at the national workshop on the reviewed Enterpreneurship and Skill Development Curricula for Enterpreneurship Educators in Nigerian Polytechnic and similar Institutions, Abdul-Hameed stated that for Nigeria to come out of the problem, there is the need for all students, public servant and people to acquire entrepreneurial skills which government must prioritise.
According to him: “The country can still be at par with advance nations if we are well committed to skill acquisition, more intervention and close monitoring from government should a barometer to know how far the nation has gone in terms of skill acquisition and economic development.”
The workshop with the theme: ‘New Approach to Entrepreneurship Curricula Delivery’ was organised by National Board For Technical Education (NBTE) at the Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan.
He said the essence of the workshop was to look into ways to encourage participants on the need to promote enterprenuership development scheme in the institutions.
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“There is the need for everyone to be entrepreneurial to employ others, it is the only way out of the economy problems facing the country. When you go to advanced climes, all is not about getting government job, it is about being creative and innovative and acquiring necessary skills that will propel the nation to greater heights.
“That is what we need and that is what the National Board for Technical Education (NABTE) in conjunction with Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) are doing for those of us in technical education.
“Presently, virtually all the institutions at the University and polytechnic levels are trying to find a way of engaging their students in entrepreneurial activities, which is the way out. It is not about paper qualifications, there are so many paper qualifications today like Bsc, HND, Msc, PHD and others.”
“Of what benefits are these qualifications to our economy without skill acquisition? We are not disabusing the minds of the people from acquiring certificate but it is not all about the certificate alone, but skill acquisition which is the the way out for Nigeria.”
