One Extra Year For Graduates?

Minister of State for Education Prof Anthony Anwuka last week proposed a one-year post-graduation training to be offered in some specialized institutions in order to make Nigerian graduates employable. He spoke at a retreat organized by the National Universities Commission [NUC] for members of Governing Councils of federal universities. The retreat, which took place in Abuja, had the theme "Elements of Statutory Governance, Procurement and Financial Accounting in Nigerian Universities." Anwuka said many university graduates were not good enough to be employed by industries.

The minister partly blamed the un-employability of graduates on the failure of the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme [SIWES] in Nigerian universities. He said SIWES is not playing its role in bridging the gap between universities and industries. the proposed one-year re-schooling, Anwuka said, would serve as a training ground for graduates to be well equipped with the rudiments of the course studied in the university. The SIWES programme, which was introduced in Nigerian universities, provides for undergraduates in all science and applied courses to go for industrial attachment in industries and companies relevant to their courses of study.