…demands overhaul of education to align with industrial needs
Babagana Zulum, the Borno State governor, had commenced the distribution of about 100 trucks of food items donated to the State by President Bola Tinubu.
The distribution took place on Monday at designated centres for residents of Gamboru, Ngala, and other communities, where food supplies were cut off in the last four months due to the disaster as caused by heavy rain and flooding.
The grains, which included maize, sorghum and millet, were distributed to millions of households with much priority on the most vulnerable.
Speaking to journalists after the flag-off of the distribution, Governor Zulum explained the choice of Ngala a boarder Community with Chad Republic, saying “This morning, we flagged off the distribution of 100 trucks of assorted grains to Communities in Ngala Local Government.
“This town was completely cut off from the rest of the Country for about four months due to heavy rainfall and flooding. The movement of food items to Ngala has been cut off. This informed our visit today to provide relief to cushion the hardships faced by the people..”
The governor however commended President Bola Tinubu and all relevant Federal Government Agencies for supporting the State Government in ensuring that those most in need received adequate supplies.
“All of the food items we shared today were donated to us by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The President has given us 100 trucks of assorted grains, including maize, millet and sorghum. In addition, the federal government has provided 100 trucks of rice for the victims of the Maiduguri flood disaster,” Zulum said.
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum has called for a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s education system to address the disconnect between educational institutions and the needs of industries.
The governor made this statement during a courtesy visit by Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) held at the Government House in Maiduguri, the State Capital.
He expressed concern that many graduates produced by higher institutions lack the necessary skills to drive innovation and technological advancement, urging NELFUND to critically assess the issue and implement solutions that enable graduates to become self-employed rather than depending on limited job opportunities.
“We have two major problems in our educational system: the mismatch between educational institutions and industries, as they do not communicate effectively, and the mismatch between the labour market and graduates, many of whom are unprepared to work in the industries.
“Beyond offering loans, I urge you to explore ways to support entrepreneurship education and promote technical and vocational training to reduce the reluctance toward these critical areas of study,” he said.
Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), highlighted the fund’s mission to tackle the growing issue of students dropping out due to financial constraints.
He noted that the loan is interest-free, with repayment set at 10% of the recipient’s income upon securing employment.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
