Unemployed Graduates Urged To Undertake Vocational Education

Vice chancellor of the Open University of Tanzania, Prof Elifas Bisanda has urged African graduates who cannot get gainful employment to go back and undertake technical and vocational education to gain new skills that are relevant for this generation.

Bisanda stated this in Abuja on Friday while delivering the 13th Convocation Lecture of National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) with the theme: “Is Western Education Still Relevant for Africa?”
He lamented that the growing number of unemployed graduates in Africa is a time-bomb waiting to explode if proper care is not taken.

“While the west is determined to keep us Africans where we are, we must take affirmative action to get out of this mess they have imposed on us.

“An education system that keeps us poor, while our resources are being taken away, should be changed by any means. Our education should be focused on the societal needs so that our youths are prepared to participate in the local economy when they leave school.

“Those who graduated previously from colleges and universities who cannot get gainful employment must be encouraged to go back to undertake technical and vocational education to gain new skills that are relevant for this age,” he said.

He also emphasised the need to change the way Institutions examine students in the region, saying “We should not try to find out how much of what they learnt they can remember, but test on how they can apply the knowledge acquired.

“I can see a future where all examination will be oral, or written open book. Use any tool available to solve a problem, even AI. Those who have good communication skills, practical skills, as well as analytical skills, are what employers now need. In the future, getting a job will be based the graduates’ ability to tell the employer what he/she can contribute to the organisation rather than showing degree certificates,” he said.

On his part, the vice chancellor of NOUN, Prof Olufemi Peters reiterated the need for technical education, stressing that the diversification of skills acquisition would give employment to youths.

He commended the guest lecturer for his presentation and thanked others who came to witness the convocation lecture.