Nigeria is one of the leading countries of the world with unemployment issues. It is one of the top three problems we are facing as a nation which has caused much harm in our society. This is the main cause of kidnapping, prostitution, human trafficking, sea piracy, robbery and so on. The rate of unemployment has in the country as made it a theme word for political offices aspirants. They all campaign, promising to solve this problem. They all promised to provide jobs for the youths even if it is going to drop from heaven like manna. Some don’t even know what to do to create this jobs but it seems the magic worked well with the electorates. Truly, the population is more than the available job. The oldies in service have refused to retire and the few available opportunities are for those in the system.
If government couldn’t provide job for the teeming population then the population must find a way to create job for themselves. Many have been creating a niche for themselves and this has paid off. They have become employers of labor through their ideas. The system (government) has failed no doubt, yet we have to create a living for ourselves.
Since self-employment is one of the possible solutions, then our educational institutions have a huge role to play. Vocational studies should be taken seriously from the primary to secondary schools. Students should learn various skills from this stage apart from the theoretical teachings. This will lay a good foundation for the tertiary institutions. There are many employable and unemployable graduates roaming the streets. Some have taken to illegitimate ways of making life for themselves. This could be reduced if entrepreneurial courses are taken serious and compulsory in the tertiary institutions. It should be a core course rather than elective. This will make them stand on their own after graduation. The practical aspects should be the focus rather than theory.
This step would make better graduates that are producers rather than consumers. Government should back this up by giving scholarship to outstanding students which will be of good to the nation thereafter. Self-employment has an additional advantage for a better mental health to individuals. This will even bring back the dying educational system. The new generations who have found an alternative to education would consider its enormous benefits. Our government has a role to play no matter what. We also have roles to play to make our country better. To have a sane society, education must be paramount and entrepreneurship is also key to having a better people and better economy.