Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Chief Clem Aguiyi, Transition Committee Chairman, Njikoka Local Government Area of Anambra State, advocates inclusion of Igbo apprenticeship in basic schools curriculum in South-East Zone for capacity building.
Aguiyi said this in Awka while interacting with Journalists.
He said that an inclusion of Igbo apprenticeship scheme in the primary and secondary school curricula in the South-East zone of the country will produce employable youths.
Aguiyi said that such inclusion will make young minds to learn various skills early in life and afford them opportunity to face life challenges much better once out of school.
“Igbo apprenticeship scheme if introduced to basic schools on time will assist the youths to discover themselves on time and encourage wealth creation.
“The challenges of the prevailing unemployment rate, especially among the youths in the region will be solved because they have gained various skills earlier in and can fend for themselves,” he said.
Aguiyi opined that a deliberate programme should be introduced to ensure that any secondary school leaver should have acquired a particular skill while in the school that can make him or her self employed or employable in a factory.
He faulted what he described as “adoption of a uniform curricula for primary and secondary schools in all the regions of the country which has not yielded superb results in social economic development of the nation.
He noted that “the adoption of a federal curricula for the primary and secondary school system in all the regions is faulty because it has not achieve national development.
“Instead, an education curriculum should be designed for primary and secondary schools to teach students skills peculiar in that region while they are in the school so that by the time they graduate the person will be productive.
“For instance, teaching of Igbo apprenticeship should be included in the curricula for primary and secondary school system in the South-East, so that before a child graduates from the secondary school, he has acquired various skill.
“Skills like tailoring, bakery, plumbing, painting of houses,shoe making, carpentry, plaiting of hair, catering, ICT techniques , motor mechanic, amongst others,” he said.
Aguiyi commended the initiative of the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for introducing a skill acquisition for the youths in the state tagged “One Youth 2 Skills.”
He stated that the over 5,000 youths who have already benefitted from the training, and, provided with some start- off facilities including cash and other necessary support items, would certainly be productive.
Aguiyi said that the action guarantees increase in the number of youths who have been taken away from the unemployment sector, and, also add to the growth in the economy of the state.
He said that with skill acquisition scheme in basic school curriculum, more people would be taught on how to be self reliant; then poverty will be curbed.
Aguiyi said that University education is a luxury and should not be treated as last opportunity or only chance for growth and development of a child as university education is not mandatory.
He said that young people can go into technical education, vocational education to better their lives and contribute to national growth and development.
Aguiyi disclosed that the present administration prides in qualitative educational programmes that will bring out creativity in the youths and that is the reason behind call for Igbo apprenticeship principles.
He said if every zone introduces what is familiar to the zone into school curricula the children will learn and better equipped before furthering their education in any chosen careers.
Aguiyi said that the council administration has been liaising with some wealthy citizens in the local government area to assist in building and donating primary schools to give children’s education a boost in the area.
“With one youth 2 skills initiative of the governor for the youths, if introduced in all the state schools, greater involvement will be achieved in wealth creation and ICT development,” he said.
