The proprietor of Beautiful Beginning Academy, Dr Rosemary Nasa-Okolie, has stated that teaching students practical skills is the most effective way to address Nigeria’s growing unemployment problem.
She stated this during the school’s weekly skills acquisition programme held recently in Abuja. Dr Nasa-Okolie praised the Federal Government for paying more attention to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), especially in secondary schools. She, however, urged the government not to lose focus on the effort.
“Skills-based education is the answer to our unemployment crisis,” she said. The government is making an effort, but there is a need for increased investment in functional education. Across the world, skills training has helped many economies to grow faster.
The academy has already incorporated skills training into its junior secondary school syllabus, providing students with opportunities to gain practical experience in various trades. At the event, students were trained in multiple skills, including plumbing, tailoring, phone repairs, soap and perfume production, and graphic design, among others.
Dr Nasa-Okolie explained that the initiative was introduced to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical application—a gap she believes continues to hinder the potential of Nigerian students.
“By equipping our youth with practical skills, we can reduce street begging—especially among almajiri children—and steer young minds toward national development,” she said.
She also called on parents to support their children’s career choices rather than imposing personal aspirations on them, stressing that such support is vital to the success of functional education.
On the issue of certificate disparity, she condemned the longstanding dichotomy between university and polytechnic qualifications, calling for both to be recognised as equal in value and importance.
