Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has called for a stronger focus on vocational and technical education in Nigeria, saying the country’s emphasis on certificates and degrees without practical skills had contributed to unemployment and economic challenges.

Fubara made the call on Wednesday while commissioning three projects at Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic in Rumuola, Rivers State. He said the education system needed to equip young people with practical skills that could help them become self-employed and create jobs.

The governor recalled that Nigeria’s 6-3-3-4 education system was originally designed to expose students to vocational training and prepare them for either higher education or skilled employment. He, however, lamented that the country had gradually moved away from that vision.

Fubara said polytechnics and entrepreneurship centres should be given greater importance because they could help students develop technical skills and become employers of labour rather than job seekers.

He also said his administration was focused on projects that would directly improve people’s lives and address societal challenges, stressing that technological advancement had made practical and technical skills increasingly important.

The governor urged students and residents to protect the newly completed facilities from vandalism and encouraged communities to take ownership of government projects.