Cover picture: Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman
UK based charity organisation, IA-Foundation has advised the Federal Government to review its education policy to accommodate soft skills necessary to meet the demands of the 21st century.
Mrs Ibironke Adeagbo, who is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, said that soft skills was necessary in the education policy of the country hence the need to embrace and incorporate it into the nation’s education policy for the masses to depend less on white-collar jobs and focus on skills that would make them overcome the challenges of the current century.
According to NAN, she gave the advice in an interview in Abuja on Sunday.
The accounting specialist urged Nigeria to revamp its education curricula to reflect present day realities and embrace soft skill, entrepreneurial skills and digital know-hows to make youths survive the digital age challenges.
Adeagbo noted that colonial legacies in the education sector had left Nigeria rudderless in its education and other developmental aspirations, saying that the way forward was for the West African country to overhaul its education policy.
She condemned a call attributed to the Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye that Nigerian children should be made to get involved in industrial production and urban development of the country.
Kennedy-Ohanenye reportedly made the call on Sept. 8 in Awka, Anambra, while speaking at the Anambra State Summit, staged by the state government to foster development in the state.
Adeagbo, who has been campaigning to have every Nigerian child in school, argued that involving children in industrial production was a clear violation of Nigeria’s Child Rights Act 2003.
She re-stated that Nigeria should put measures in place to take back its 20.2 million children currently out of school back to classrooms, to secure the future of the country.
“I am shocked to hear the suggestion by the minister calling for children to be involved in production of toothpicks. This is unacceptable.
“We are supposed to be protecting the rights of children in Nigeria in line with the Child Rights Acts 2003 and not propagating suggestions that will subject children to child labour and other forms of activities that will keep them out of classrooms,” Adeagbo said.
She lauded the Federal Government for expressing its commitment to tackle the out-of-school crisis, saying that no Nigerian child deserved to be left uneducated in the 21st century.
“With over 100 children already in school as a result of our work, we will not relent until the last child gets into school,’’ Adeagbo added.
– NAN
