The Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of AltSchool Africa, Adewale Yusuf, has lamented that many Nigerian aspiring undergraduates are choosing irrelevant courses when registering for JAMB’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).
He made the statement during the Apex Tech Summit themed “The African Digital Economy: Building the Infrastructure for the Next Billion Users,” on August 9, 2025, at the Landmark Centre. According to him, for the first time in decades, Africa has an opportunity to participate fully in shaping global knowledge and innovation. However, this, he said, requires moving beyond old, rigid academic structures that are no longer relevant. “If you are entering school right now, for all the people who wrote JAMB, no matter the school you are entering, no matter the course, I am so sorry to tell you… What you are about to study is irrelevant,” he said
He explained that the problem lies in outdated curricula, which leave graduates unprepared for emerging industries and technologies. However, Yusuf said students still have the power to correct this mismatch by taking advantage of the vast learning opportunities available today. He drew comparisons with top institutions abroad, noting that universities like MIT are already overhauling their programmes. In contrast, many Nigerian institutions continue to teach content that no longer reflects current industry needs, with textbooks written by authors who have gained new perspectives. The AltSchool Africa founder urged students to take control of their learning while in school by acquiring skills that are in demand globally.
“In the name of God, I beg you, just go and learn something while you are in school. Over 60% of AltSchool’s students have a Bachelor’s degree. So why don’t we study these in schools? People say that AI is going to take jobs, but AI is going to produce twice the number of jobs it took. What is important in starting a company is not how to build but what to build. That comes from a place of thinking. We always need to think creatively and avoid relying on AI for everything. At the current State of the world, thinking is one thing that will differentiate you from the rest of the world,” he added.
Leave feedback about this