Opinion: An ’emerging’ Nigeria and the culture of continuity

by Umar T.H

Jonathan Goodluck

The need to re-direct human capital to drive the country’s industrial take-off is clear; there can be no transformation without industrialization

South Korea produces 70% of the world’s engineers and scientists. The United States produces 6%. Source-Aljazeera.

When Chief Pius Anyim was inaugurating the National Partnership Committee for Strategy on improving Technical and Vocational Education Training in Nigeria, he mentioned five countries that had emerged on the global horizon. These countries were China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brazil and South Korea. His declaration during the occasion was that the Federal Government was resolute in its bid to reposition its approach towards an emerging economy and the realities on the ground. The Government and its Private Sector must come together, plan and work together. Trough this partnership a blue-print should be developed towards addressing one of the key challenges in the transformation of country’s industries and its needs.

The wide gulf between skilled manpower and industrial development must be bridged. It is obvious that this is the only way to fast track the industrialization process in Nigeria. The five countries, as mentioned by the SGF had translated that partnership through a well- thought-out and carefully articulated policy that succeeded in re-inventing their human capital and re-aligning their individual needs, as well as charting a road map hinged upon enterprise and innovation. The vision in Nigeria is for its version to work out a situation whereby the issue of importing foreign “skilled” labor, will be a thing of the past, while at the same time scrutinize and design programs of educating our youth in Technical and Vocational studies. This time around, we must relate it to our industrial requirements and ultimate development.

The need to re-direct human capital to drive the country’s industrial take-off is clear; there can be no transformation without industrialization, and this can only happen when TVET is seen as a route according to the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai” towards addressing a number of economic needs that include the provision of adequate and skilled manpower to support the processes of industrialization, the development of skills to enhance private enterprise and promote small scale businesses and the reduction of poverty in the country. In its 4-year strategic plan for the development of the education sector: 2011-2015, the twin goals of access and quality of education became clear. In the process also, it became evident that issues of Teacher Education, Partnerships, Resource Mobilization and utilization and strengthening the Institutional Management of Education are critical to the attainment of these goals.

The road map towards the actualization of these goals is surely possible, when there is adherence to the 3cs; Continuity. Consistency. Commitment. We must commit to, be consistent in and continue to adhere to education policy, its documents and its programs. It is truly possible therefore that these processes should address the issues of producing skilled manpower or birthing individuals with entrepreneurial flair. In his book “Emerging Africa”, as reviewed by Femi Aribisala, in weekend trust of July 27th, 2013, Kingsley Moghalu had maintained that “Africa’s path from poverty to wealth, goes through one main highway: African countries themselves, and endogenous production for internal markets; value added manufacturing and the export of complex differentiated products to regional markets.”

When he, Moghalu, finally affirms that “Nigeria needs to establish a culture of policy of continuity in order to achieve sustainable economic transformation” it seemed like the chicks are finally coming home to roost. Maybe then, the next phone you may be carefully cradling in your palm may have the words” proudly made in Naija”, engraved on it! That time may not be too far off.

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Read this article in the Leadership Newspapers
Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

One comment

  1. I’ll like to say a big thank you to a president who wants to improve the level of industrialization in this country, but I’ll also like d so called capable president to expanciate on hw he intends to achieve that aim when the educational sector is near total distruction . where the so called future engineers to aid industrialization are going to b half baked because of the poor level of organization and lack of governmental care towards education. its time we stopped being deceived by our corrupt leaders …the struggle continues and victory is sure

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