Experts Urge Curriculum Reform to Reduce Unemployment

Professor Oladapo Afolabi, the former Head of Service of the Federation, and Professor Jonathan Babalola, Vice-Chancellor of Bowen University, have advocated for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s education curriculum. They emphasised the need for research-based policy reforms to combat escalating unemployment and reverse the country’s deteriorating academic quality.

The duo made the call at the grand finale of the 60th anniversary celebration of postgraduate studies at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State. They lamented that the current system places more emphasis on certificates than competence, leading to a glut of unemployable graduates and a weakened labour market.

In his lecture titled ‘Postgraduate Studies in Nigeria: The Past, Present and Future’, Prof. Babalola identified significant challenges affecting postgraduate education in Nigeria, including the sale of degrees, plagiarised theses, poor supervision, and lack of mentorship. He emphasised the need for increased government funding, adoption of technology, and integrity in research, warning against data falsification and unethical academic practices.

Prof. Afolabi, in his goodwill message, expressed concern over the shift from skill-based education to certificate-chasing, noting that “graduates used to be market-ready, but today’s rush for certificates without competence has worsened unemployment.” He stressed the urgent need to redesign Nigeria’s curriculum to be more relevant, impactful, and aligned with the realities of the job market. Earlier, the Provost of Postgraduate College, Prof. Victor Olaleye, disclosed that OAU now runs various postgraduate programmes across 104 departments and 14 faculties, reflecting the institution’s continued growth and commitment to advanced education.

“Over the past 60 years, the College has produced 29,887 graduates who have achieved remarkable success globally, comprising: 3,985 Postgraduate Diplomas; 13,813 Professional Masters; 8,247 Masters with Research Thesis; 965 Master of Philosophy; 2,877 Doctor of Philosophy. The current student enrolment is: 7,095, including 60 international students.”