By CHARLES IWUOHA

Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has criticised Nigeria’s current educational curriculum, warning that graduate unemployment will persist if the system remains largely theoretical and disconnected from practical skills and entrepreneurship.

Governor Nwifuru expressed concern over the rising number of unemployed graduates, insisting that the country urgently needs a curriculum that prioritises skills acquisition, innovation and enterprise development.

He lamented that university curricula across the country devote excessive attention to theoretical learning, language development and rhetoric, with insufficient emphasis on professional, technical and practical training critical for economic growth.

The governor made these remarks during a courtesy visit by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) delegation led by its Resident Representative, Ms. Elsie Attafuah, at the Government House in Abakaliki on Thursday.

“Our vision for establishing the University of Information and Communications Technology in Ebonyi State is to create an innovation-driven academic centre where theory gives way to practical skills,” Nwifuru said.

He explained that the ICT University was designed to equip students with intellectual, technical and hands-on competencies relevant to today’s technology-driven economy.

“In the ICT University, if you study Computer Science, you will not only learn theory but also how to produce and repair computer hardware and related systems,” he added.

Governor Nwifuru called on the UNDP to partner with the state in driving reforms that would make education in Ebonyi, and Nigeria at large, more practically oriented.

He commended the UNDP’s Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP), noting that Ebonyi State should be fully integrated into the initiative to advance youth empowerment and employment opportunities.

The governor also sought collaboration with the UNDP in agricultural innovation, healthcare reforms, particularly in addressing shortages in health manpower, and in solid minerals development, including exploration, refining and processing, which he described as essential for industrialisation.

He urged international development partners to align their interventions with the development priorities of the state.

In her remarks, Attafuah said the UNDP delegation was motivated to visit Ebonyi following Governor Nwifuru’s presentation at the Southeast Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders’ Forum in Enugu.

She explained that the visit was aimed at strengthening collaboration and briefing the governor on UNDP’s developmental programmes in education, agriculture, healthcare, youth engagement and technological innovation.

According to her, UNDP has over three decades of experience supporting development initiatives and has established centres across communities and academic institutions to promote skills development and enhance graduate employability.

Attafuah emphasised the need for a paradigm shift in Africa’s education system, stressing that learning must be aligned with labour market realities.

She described the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme as a bridge connecting fresh graduates with meaningful employment opportunities in both the public and private sectors.

The UNDP Resident Representative reaffirmed the organisation’s readiness to collaborate with the Ebonyi State Government in advancing its development agenda.