IMPROVING THE DEGRADING QUALITY OF HUMAN OF CAPITAL (LABOUR) IN NIGERIA AND AFRICA.
The core essence of education in Nigeria and perhaps, in most of the nations of the world, might have fallen short of expectations in the quality of human capital it had produced in the past decades especially in this 21st century.
The objective of education in Nigeria from inception, was of two-folds;
1. To produce capacity to meet the labour-need of government.
2. To produce capacity to meet the labour-need of industries, corporations and multinationals among others in the private sector.
The introduction of entrepreneurship which is the surest way to reducing poverty and unemployment in Nigeria and Africa, into the educational curriculum is a 21st century addition.
The pitfalls resulting from the educational objectives
Education, as a standalone and/or integrating itself with every aspect of life, is very essential for sustainable economic growth and development but bringing education to serve myopic objectives of only raising labour to fit in for the sake of working for white collar jobs, was and/ is imprisoning the giant "education" with unending antagonistic surprises meted out on the general economy. Education, which was or/is seen as the remedy to building a healthy living had now fallen short of meeting up with the demands attached hitherto. Education in Nigeria, without doubt had become a major contributing factor to the geometric increase in poverty and unemployment in Nigeria and Africa. Nigerian and African educational content do not teach students life-building and life-surviving skills which would have made the supremacy of the knowledge impacted by education more yielding. Our institutions of higher learning had become incubators of over-zealous job-seekers whose minds had been trapped in perpetual resolution on what to get from the economy and not what to contribute. Entrepreneurial and high-performance management skills are not taught to applicable depths, so students come out as clones possessing no equivalent value to the "almighty" certificates they carry around.
The greatest dismay is that the education we trusted had failed. This is evident in the number of graduates that are turned out annually compared to the number that gets engaged.
Facts about the Nigerian/African graduate
1. About 1.8 million graduates enter the labour market yearly (SURE-P, 2014).
2. About 80% of graduates are unemployable (CIPM Nigeria, 2013, Lagos State Chamber of Commerce, 2013).
3. About 80% of graduates do not possess employable skills (National Directorate of Employment, 2013).
4. Over 90% of graduates are non-entrepreneurial (YouWin, 2013).
5. Not up to 15% of graduates engage in continuing professional training (CIPM Nigeria, 2013).
6. A typical graduate believes not in professional training; a degree (B. Sc., B. A., B. Ed., B. L. and so on) or its equivalence, is just enough.
All these and lots more (unmentioned), are some of the evident facts about our labour force in Nigeria and Africa.
Why Most People Do Not Take Professional Training
1. Ignorance and lack of awareness.
To most people, just a degree is enough while to others, they do not know about them and their benefits.
2. Discrimination from traditional discipline.
Most people will always say "it doesn't just relate to my discipline" and for this reason, they won't engage in it. But sometimes you wonder, the same person that made this statement perhaps, an engineering graduate ending up in a bank as a customer relations or human resource manager, now the question is "does that relate to your discipline?"
3. Looking down on awareness agents or instructors.
Most people will reason it this way. If he doesn't have a good car, good suite, good phones and good look, there is no need doing the course. Well, you have to think again. If you were to analyse your lecturers before going to school, perhaps you will not know what you know now and you will not have the certificate you are parading now.
4. It's too expensive!
The most frequent exclamation you hear. Well, if it's expensive just remain where you are.
5. It's too technical, strategic and bulky.
Most people use grammar to disqualify or weaken themselves while others do not want to challenge their brains.
6. Procrastination.
I will do it later is not a date.
7. Association Influence.
Most people will not do because their friends will not do.
8. Too much analysis.
To some, you must convince them beyond all reasonable doubts.
And lots more.
Why Professional Training Do not Benefit Some People
1. No definite strategic objectives
Since majority of the people taking professional courses need quick gratifications, it blinds them from future benefits associated with being a certified professional. Some people were made to believe that obtaining professional training means ultimate employment or promotion. Sorry, that's not true.
2. Non-appreciation of the knowledge
Most people do not place value on the knowledge and as such, do no not appreciate it. Whatever you do not appreciate, dies a natural death.
3. Non-recognition of training benefits.
Most people do not really know why they are taking these courses if not for job placement as such, it becomes difficult to translate the acquired knowledge to marketable value outside job placement.
4. Seeing professional training as an escape route to the struggles in the labour market, will not allow you to benefit from professional training rather it creates room for complains, murmur and regrets.
5. To most people that are employed, professional training is for job-seekers.
The Primary Objective of Professional Development
To build up capacities with high-performance management skills to meet up with the overarching needs of lack of or inadequately skilled human capital (be it in Nigeria or around the globe) both in the public and private sectors to meet the demands of sustainable economic growth and development.
Benefits of Professional Development
1. Personal development that makes for distinction.
2. Better opportunities.
3. High level Independence.
4. Better remunerations and other benefits.
5. Working at comfortable terms and conditions.
6. Undoubted competence.
And lots more.
In summary, professional human capital development is a sure guarantee to sustainable economic growth and development.
Empower yourself today and remain distinguished.
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