By Ankeli Emmanuel (In Sokoto State)
A Non Governmental Organization (NGO) Save The Child Initiative, Nigeria (STCI) has advised youths in Sokoto State to acquire skills alongside whatever educational heights they wish to attend.
Making the calls to mark the World Youths Skills Day at the Sokoto Government Technical College, Runjin Sambo, Malam Rabiu Bello Gandi, said the unemployment rate in the country is on the increase because everyone depends on educational certificates and are all looking out for white collar jobs that is not even there anymore.
According to Rabiu, the 2023 World Youth Skills Day as organized by STCI, Nigeria is being supported by Plan International EU-INTPA with the theme,"Skilling Teachers, Trainers and Youths for A Transformative Future".
While noting that the aim is to highlight the essential roles teachers, trainers and other educators play in providing skills that will equip the youths for labour markets, and make them relevant and decent entrepreneurs in their communities and societies, Rabiu said emphasis should now be on skillstificate.
In his appeal to Nigerian youths, Rabiu, who is the Head of Mobility, Migration and Protection of STCI Nigeria, said the time has come for them to change their mindsets and embrace skills, adding that those with skills are self reliant and never unemployed, rather they are employers of labour.
He further noted that hence skilled youths are not jobless, they can not be easy preys in the hands of organizers of evils, such as bandits, terrorism, and other crimes.
Stating objectives of the World Youth Skills Day, Mr Joseph Julius, the Project Coordinator, EU-INTPA Plan International Nigeria, "Strengthening Civil Society to Enhance Education for All in Northern Nigeria", said the project as funded by European Union through Plan International is intended to get the youths into acquiring skills.
"People with skills and education has good chances to thrive and succeed. A skilled person is always relevant at any point of his or her age because there is no retirement. The older you become in your skill, the more experienced and sought after you become by those who need your services".
To the teachers, Mr Julius advised them to have sustainability mechanism by striving to engage in skills and entrepreneurship.
In his goodwill message, a representative of the State Ministry of Science and Technology, Bala Shehu, said no society can progress without skilled labour, adding adding a technical man or woman can never be unemployed.
Bala who advises youths to be of strong faith and dare the impossibility by striving towards turning their ideas into possibilities, however appealed to Sokoto State Government to consider establishing a Female Technical School hence all the available 4 are for boys.
On his part, Alhaji Mustapha, a Deputy Director, Planning and Research in the State, said the issue of skills in underdeveloped and developing parts of the world is very important considering the global realities where Nigeria is left far behind.
He also decried that even in Nigeria where youths of other regions are concerned about technological development, youths in parts of the north are interested in becoming a liability by seeking for charity rather than contributing to their quota to the economy.
"Youths of nowadays have derailed from community assistant mindsets to wanting for the government to provide everything for them and also depending on handouts from wealthy people in the society".
Mustapha further appealed to the youths to be entrepreneurially minded and have a digital skill in addition.
"Skills acquisition and entrepreneurship should be given more priority now than ever before in Nigerian schools.
Speaking on the topic, "Skills Aquisation and the way forward for Youths", the Head of Fabrication Department of Sokoto Government Technical School, Runjin Sambo, Malam Muhammed Gobo, said you must not be technically oriented to be a skilled person, hence it can be learnt. NNL.
