WAVE IN CALABAR, IN A BID TO TRANSFORM THE EDUCATION TO EMPLOYMENT SYSTEM

The current reality for most young people in Nigeria today is that if they do not have a degree or some form of certification, the opportunities they have are limited and this can be a barrier to achieving dreams.

With the increasing rate of unemployment in the country, there is the need to arm young people with skills that would help them get jobs, stay on the job or even start out as entrepreneurs.

Outside the young people themselves, there is a need for a shift in our education to employment system; how students are taught, what they are taught and how they are prepared for the work environment.

The hiring process and policies in organisations also need to reevaluated to include people that may not have credentials but are competent.

With all these in mind, our team was in Calabar on Wednesday, 23rd of June 2021 with stakeholders in the education to employment ecosystem (educators, policymakers, and employers).

The convening was in partnership with the Cross River State Ministry of Education and was aimed at bringing different stakeholders together to share ideas on how they can foster a shift in the education to employment system in Nigeria.

Major highlights from the stakeholders round table discussions were around revisiting the educational curriculum to infuse 21st-century skills and implementation of employability training sessions by employers as well as collaboration between employers and educators.

A review of instructional content and delivery by teachers to prepare students for employment while in the classroom was also discussed.