Tinubu-First-Year-Watch: Technical education as game changer

As the first year anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s government is loading, it is the right time to remind the administration on the expediency of freezing politics of #Project 2027 so that they can manage priorities and expectations at this time. Here is the reason for this early warning: the Tinubu administration needs to be more organised. The presidential bureaucracy comprising the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), the Office of the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and complementary role of the Chief of Staff to the President (which is unconstitutional) hasn’t been helpful. I have written extensively on this but the body language of the Chief Executive of the Federation hasn’t suggested that he would like to change the way he has been handling his chaotic bureaucracy. I mean the bureaucracy that is just dishing out appointments directly from the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President without recourse to the organic head of the presidential bureaucracy, the SGF.

They seem to be solidifying, for instance the office of Special Adviser, Policy Coordination with more appointments of Special Assistants to the President on Policy Coordination without reference to the office of the SGF, which is the focal point of policy coordination. What of the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), which has also been without a tenure. A lot of issues have gone haywire on the watch of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, for instance and there seems to be ‘and-so-what attitude of the president to happenings there and tenure of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. So much has been written about this curious development but the president and his team don’t seem to be paying attention to what people who would like to help him are saying and writing about his wobbly bureaucracy. The imminent first anniversary events and possible overhauling of the machinery of governance should address the chaotic presidency I addressed here late last year. https://guardian.ng/opinion/time-to-fix-tinubus-chaotic-presidency/

Now to the brass tacks: of all the policy thrusts the president and his team should overhaul, I would like to suggest one critical area that can take the administration to the next level of significance. It may seem intangible but the implications will be considered tangible by even generations to come. What is this intangible but extraordinary public policy that most politicians would not like because it won’t hit most front pages? It is Presidential Attention to Technical and Vocational Education. What is all this rigmarole about? It is another call to the President to consolidate on the student-loan policy with an enhancement that can lead to solution to current mass unemployment of young graduates, which is the time bomb we are living with in this country.

Let’s stop hiding truths in the grave: the reason for widespread insecurity isn’t a revolt against the heads of current or previous administrations. It is indeed part of the consequences of neglecting technical and vocational education that has led to scarcity of skillset and celebration of mediocrity in the country. How many editorials and feature articles or documentaries will the country’s media publish or broadcast before national and subnational governments can realise that even basic skills including block-laying and concreting, tiling, woodwork, auto mechanical maintenance, carpentry, electrical and electronic repairs, driving, plumbing, painting, etc are disappearing in our so-called more than 200 million population? The other day, within three hours in our house in Abuja we invited three different organic electricians including one from Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to solve a simple problem.

Behold, the three of them demonstrated lack of capacity and crass mediocrity and what was worse, they all had different ideas on how to solve basic isue of change-over box for distribution of electricity via electric generator, public power supply and inverter. One of them actually damaged some components of the electric generator and caused us a lot of money to replace damaged parts. There are so many neighbours and friends who have suffered from the hands of mediocre technicians all over the country. The building industry now relies on technicians from neighbouring countries such as Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana for reliable maintenance. What of operations in the office? The old banana trees are dying, where are the suckers that will grow for Nigeria’s future?

As many concerned commentators have written, unemployment remains one of the many challenges facing Nigeria today. It is also affecting the many formal-educated, skilled, and non-skilled Nigerians. Besides poor government policies, corruption and other public enemies, the increasing population of Nigerians (estimated to be more than 200m) has made unemployment commonplace.

Most employers of labour, especially in multinational firms have reported inadequate preparation of students in schools, which has made most graduates employable.

Given the above scenario, a revival of vocational and technical education would no doubt be a great step in Nigeria at this time. This will definitely help our lamentable situation of unemployment, consequent poverty and growing criminality. A serious recourse to technical education and purpose-driven vocational training will lead to skillset of students towards the many available prospects in the country outside the almost non-existent blue and white-collar jobs. This will eventually lead the graduates not to be mere job seekers but job creators.

Specifically, in April 2023, builders association in the country whose members are tired of mediocrity, actually called on the authorities in Nigeria to revive technical colleges and craft schools. The builders had then noted that the call was just to bridge the skilled workers’ gap in the construction industry and to curtail the incessant building collapse. According to a report then, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Ikeja Branch, Akintayo Akintola noted that Nigeria was lacking in the appropriate skill, and technical colleges and craft schools used to be in the forefront of training for skilled workers in the country.

He said, “I am not certain if these schools are in any way functional now. We need to teach more on the practical aspects to adequately ensure people are experienced to construct in the real world, hence, reducing these collapses being experienced. Most of these bricklayers, and tilers, among others, come to the site and waste so much, because they were trained without the knowledge of the conservation of materials. This also leads to spending so much on building projects…Our technical colleges and craft schools need to be enhanced, rather than setting up universities and polytechnics teaching only the theoretical aspect.”

What does Vocational and Technical Education mean?
We are talking about training in skills and teaching of knowledge related to a specific trade, occupation or vocation in which the student wishes to participate. It is an education or training programme that has both knowledge (theoretical understanding) and practical skills that are designed for and typically leading to a particular job or type of job (OECD, 2009). Let’s simplify by referring to that branch of education that equips the people or learners to take up jobs including trades and skilled works (outside the clerical, office and professional jobs). That can take place at post-primary, post-secondary, further or higher education levels. According to the National Policy on Education (2004) technical and vocational education is used as a comprehensive term referring to those aspects of the educational process involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences and the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding and knowledge relating to occupations in various sectors of economic and social life.

This is therefore a time to tell our powerful men in Abuja who often seek quick gains on the front pages that legacy building isn’t an easy job. And so they should be able to confirm that technical and vocational education is the reason Germany is the powerhouse of Europe. There is even a remarkable relationship between the United States, the powerhouse of North America and Germany. I mean there is a way the United States looks up to Germany, in this regard (details later).

The German vocational training system, with its combination of classroom and business, theory and practice, learning and working, is recognised worldwide as a basic and highly effective model for vocational training. The dual system is firmly established in the German education system, having, as it does, firm roots dating back to the Middle Ages. An essential characteristic of the dual system is the cooperation between largely private companies, on the one hand, and public vocational schools, on the other. This cooperation is regulated by law. The term “dual” also denotes a specific constitutional situation in Germany, where the federal government is responsible for vocational training in the companies, and the federal states (Länder) for the vocational schools. Thus, the German dual system of vocational training combines theory and practice, knowledge and skills, learning and working in a particularly efficient manner.

In Germany, there are currently some 350 officially recognised occupational standards. These standards are a central element of the German vocational training system. Although they are incorporated in state law, trade and industry also play a decisive part in their formulation. In Germany, more than 50 percent of all students who were college-bound in high school but decided against university apply for vocational training, and many companies participate in vocational training. Companies provide training voluntarily, and often at their own expense, because they believe that this is the best way to meet their own need for skilled staff. In other words, private companies bear two-thirds of the total costs spent every year on (initial) vocational training in Germany – costs which amount to an average of 15,300 euros per trainee per year.

And here is the deal, businesses that take part in the practice consider training their own new employees the best form of personnel recruitment. Training companies save on recruitment costs and the cost of new-employee training. They also avoid the latent risk of hiring the wrong employee for the job. The main benefit for trainees is receiving market-relevant training that improves their chances in the labour market while simultaneously improving social skills and developing personality. Finally, the state, too, benefits from the dual system through easing the burden on public budgets by participation of the enterprises and by keeping the workforce up to date. The German dual system has proved its success over a long period, and it still shows its ability to react quickly and effectively to the many changes currently affecting the economy and society.
***To be continued.