No Country Seeks To Make Every Citizen A Graduate; Electricians And Chefs Are In Short Supply — Senator Oshiomhole Tells Nigerian Youths To Consider Technical Careers Instead Of Spending More Time In University
Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North, has urged Nigerian youths to consider technical careers, citing shortages of electricians and chefs in Abuja.
Speaking during a Senate debate on a bill to amend the National Senior Secondary Education Act, Oshiomhole said countries should prioritise basic education rather than making everyone a university graduate.
“There is no country that seeks to make sure that every citizen is a graduate, but every country seeks to ensure that every citizen has sound basic education,” he said.
He added that basic education could equip citizens to pursue technical skills such as bricklaying and other vocational careers.
“Today, sir, in Abuja, go through some of the construction companies, they will tell you there is advocacy for electrician, there is none, sir. Ambassadors told me they are looking for chef they can’t find,” he said.
He argued that technical careers could offer better earnings than some university qualifications.
“So if a man or a woman has that basic education, he can veer it to this other technical career which in the end may even equip them to earn more money than what you will earn if you go and do public admin…”
Oshiomhole said he was not dismissing university education, noting that many lawmakers administer public affairs without degrees in public administration.
He supported the bill’s intention but called for its draft to be examined for loopholes and safeguards to ensure funds are used for their intended purpose.
“I think the bill is good, the intention is clear, but that is not enough. We need to see the draft of the bill so that we can all see if there are loopholes to be provided,” he said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced that the bill had passed its second reading and referred it to the Senate Committee on Education, Basic and Secondary Education, which was given four weeks to report back.
