need for skill acquizition stressed

ALERO Nwokolo 32, is a graduate of Economics. Just like her mates she was hopeful to get a good white
collar job after her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Rivers State but was not fortunate to get one.
  Alero, for four years went from one office to another in search of jobs but all to no avail. Getting fed up with the situation, she enrolled in one  of the entrepreneurial schools in Benin and studied bead making and fashion design. Today, Alreo is one of the leading fashion designers in Warri.
  According to her, she has no regret taking a course in entrepreneurial skills and will not bother looking for a white collar job again. Alero charged graduates who are yet to be employed to learn a skill while they still wait for the job.
  This scenario is very common In the country where youths and graduates are unemployed after graduating from tertiary school.
Worried at the rate of unemployment in the country the Federal government introduced entrepreneurial studies in all tertiary schools.
  According to Director for Students Support Services Department of National Universities Commission (NUC), Hajiya UwaniYahya, the best way to solve the current problem of unemployment is ensuring that students in tertiary schools undertake compulsory entrepreneurial studies.
  She said that in 2006 Federal government set up entrepreneurial studies and made it compulsory for students of tertiary schools irrespective of areas of specialization adding that in most universities entrepreneurial studies have been adopted as a compulsory general studies course for  students.
  “The overall objective is to continuously foster entrepreneurship culture amongst students and faculty with a view of not only educating them but to also support graduates of the system towards establishing and also maintaining sustainable  business value, including but not limited to those arising from research”, she noted.
  According to her, NUC is playing a vital role in the transmission and implementation of Federal government's policy and part of the expected outcome were, establishing entrepreneurship study in all tertiary schools, establishing the curriculum for the course, development of teachers guide, instructional manual and students' handbook for sale as well as capacity building for lecturers in each university, establishment of entrepreneurship resource and knowledge centres in NUC. 
  Nigerian government at the national and state levels articulated National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy(NEEDS) and State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy(SEEDS) packages as part of a long term progrmme to address gross unemployment especially at post graduation levels. This programme , was expected to power Nigeria's economic growth through the development of small and medium scale enterprises.
  According to UNESCO the way a nation , culture, group and individual views sustainable development will depend on its values. In many European countries according to experts, universities and technical colleges train students of science, economic and business management in skills that help build more sustainable societies.
  Encouraging entrepreneurial studies in tertiary schools in the country will help in reducing unemployment in the country and also tackle youth restiveness.
  Giving the importance of the studies in tertiary schools Felix Okam, alecturer at Metallurgical Training Institute said the education will offer functional education for youth  that will enable them to be self employed  and reliant, and serve as a catalyst for economic growth and development.
  According to him, such education will reduce high rate of poverty,reduction in rural- urban migration and create employment opportunities.
  Continuing, Okam noted that it is a life long learning process which should be started as early as elementary school and progressing through levels of education.
  “ A qualitative education be it formal or informal plays a critical role in raising a generation that is willing to create wealth for sustainable development”, he intimated.
  Recognizing the importance of entrepreneurial studies, the Nigerian Educational Research And Development Council(NERDC) developed a new Senior Secondary School Education curriculum to revamp the current curriculum. The new curriculum is to ensure that every Senior Secondary school graduate is well prepared for higher education and has acquired relevant functional trade and entrepreneurship skills needed for poverty reduction, job creation and wealth generation; and in the process strengthen further the foundation for ethical, moral and civic values acquired at the basic educational level.
  Apart from NERDC, jamb has also included school for entrepreneurial studies for candidates to choose from while filling the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination form.
  Commenting on the in importance of the study in tertiary schools, a lecturer at the Entrepreneurial School Anambra State University, espoused that entrepreneurial skills and attitude provide benefits to society, even beyond their application to business activity.
  He maintained that the entrepreneurial skills should be taught to students in all disciplines and tertiary schools.
  “It is not out of place to say that many business ideas emerge from non- business disciplines but are often waved aside or ignored because students are not sufficiently educated in the knowledge”, he informed.