Overhaul educational system to align with industry needs- Zulum to Nigerian govt

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum has called for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s education system to address the disconnect between educational institutions and the needs of industries.

The Governor made the call during a courtesy visit by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), Mr Akintunde Sawyerr.

Special Adviser to Borno State Governor on Media, Dauda Iliya, in a statement, indicated that Zulum expressed concern that many graduates produced by higher institutions lack the necessary skills to drive innovation and technological advancement.

He urged NELFUND to critically assess the issue and implement solutions that enable graduates to become self-employed rather than depend on limited job opportunities.

“We have two major problems in our educational system: the mismatch between educational institutions and industries, as they do not communicate effectively, and the mismatch between the labour market and graduates, many of whom are unprepared to work in the industries,” Zulum stated.

The Governor further tasked NELFUND to support entrepreneurship, technical education, and vocational training programs.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Education Loan Fund (Nelfund), Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, highlighted the fund’s mission which is to tackle the growing issue of students dropping out due to financial constraints.

He noted that the loan is interest-free, with repayment set at 10% of the recipient’s income upon securing employment.