Dr Ene Wannaji is the Registrar, the Institute of Advanced Vocational and Technology Education of Nigeria (IAVTEN) and the Proprietor, Starlight Education Centre that runs vocational, technical and regular subjects in Madalla, Niger State.
In this interview with our Senate Correspondent, Abbanobi -Eku Onyekachi, at the marking of 2025 World Youth Skills Day, organized by the Institute within the week in Merit House, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), he urges the Senate to enact a law that will make skill acquisition a mandatory content in secondary schools, and make it a requirement for accrediting and recognizing secondary schools in Nigeria. Excerpts.
Qtn: United Nations (UN) has kept July 15 of every year for the marking of World Youth Skills Day, but you are doing yours today, why?
Ans: Yes we have rescheduled the date for the commemoration of the United Nations declared World Youth Skills Day. It is originally scheduled for 15th of July, which is the date for every year. Unfortunately in Nigeria, 15th of July coincided with the burial of late President Muhammadu Buhari, so we had to shift it and use today to honor our former president. The former president was honored by Nigeria, so we decided to also honour him. That is the reason why we decided to do it today.
Qtn: The theme for this year 2025 edition is, Youth Empowerment through AI and Digital Skill, can you speak on the theme sir?
Ans: The theme for the 2025 edition, being, Youth Empowerment through AI and Digital Skill, is an ideal. As you know, the world is going digital, and we will be doing ourselves, the nation and the generations on board disservice, if we shield the youths from acquiring the AI enabled skills, which will make them fit into the modern society; impact their time and be useful, not necessarily to go and acquire skills, but what type of skills acquired, their impacts and relevance matter a lot. You don’t just go and acquire a skill for the sake of it Those who are even mechanical technicians are adapting to the technology of AI and it easier for them in tackling a difficult job. It makes it easier to them, by identifying faults in vehicles and every aspect of life, even in normal academic activities.
Qtn: In which area do you want the legislative arm of the government to come in?
Ans: The legislative arm of the government, especially, the senate, is very important in this. Actually, our institute is seriously making an arrangement to meet with the Senate to work things out for the youths, which if done, will be beneficial to all. Today we’ve been able to bring the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives to this program. We are going to work with them to make skills and entrepreneurship a must for all our school system, such that as a child is graduating, acquiring certificate he is just acquiring skills. We discover that no part of the world can grow without skills.
So we want to see if it can be legislated upon, so it can become a law, not just necessarily what we do in our curriculum. Take one trade subject. A child is doing fishery as a trade subject, but he can’t distinguish between Tilapia and any other type of Fish; he doesn’t know how fish feed is formulated and produced. For him to know all these, he should pass through practical aspect of the studies, not just theories. So if it becomes a law, it means that before you can be licensed to run a school, you must have a physical, practical content of one or two skills, so that our students will be living, with certificate and skills.
Qtn,: Can you go straight to the point by telling us the role of the senate in everything?
Ans: Let me tell you that we are proud of this senate today, what I mean is Nigeria’s 10th Senate. They are doing well, by having been coming out with quality legislations. And if they can legislate on this, it will not only go a long way to their legislative duties, but also be a plus. Let the Senate enact a legislation that will make skill acquisition a mandatory content in both privately and publicly owned secondary schools. I also appeal that in the legislation, let them skill acquisition a requirement and condition for accrediting and recognizing a secondary school and ensure that the facilities are also available in the school.
We want the senators to join forces with our institute. Let them enact a law and make it a law, and then give us support, because as we go around, drumming this program is like a sing song for us in our institute, but when the senate and the house of representative join us. It will have more weight and people will buy into it faster. That’s the coming in with the legislation.
Legislation, of course; although they are not giving us money and we are looking for money, but we are looking for legislation to make it effective so that before some of us will leave the scene, either by nature calling us to the other world, we would have left a foot mark, footprint in the sense of time.
Qtn: Can you explain in details, how this is going to help us, our youths and children, if it is legislated upon?
Ans: If it is legislated upon, as we are already on the ground, we will follow it up and ensure that it is implemented by reminding the implementing agencies: like Federal Minister of Education, States Ministries of Educations, that it is implemented. We then make it a point of duty to go round any school or any state that is defaulting, and we then take it up with them, because that is an enabling law.
But as it is now, it is all about appealing, appealing, appealing. And when you advise somebody, it is not composed, it’s not mandatory, but when it becomes law, and you just go and remind the person, either the agency or the government or the ministry or whatever, come you are running foul of social provision of Nigerian law, these children are being exposing to risk. This is not what Nigeria government wants.
I repete, if this legislation this institute is yearning for comes to pass, it will go a long way to help the country and boost the economy. Their will be employment, because self employment will be the answer. We can’t continue to be looking for white collar job, when we can plan and create one for ourselves. So let the legislature do the needful and legislate on anything that can promote skill acquisition in Nigeria.
I still have an appeal to make, which will go a long way in what we are doing. I, Doctor Ene Wannaji, as the Registrar of this Institute of Advanced Vocational and Technology Education of Nigeria, I want to to thank the press, the media for wonderful work they have been doing. Thank you very much. While I thank them for effective performance in promoting democracy, I want to remind them that they owe this country a lot of duties, by persuading legislators and other stakeholders on the benefits of skill acquisition to us and the economy. The press men who are the mouthpiece, the watchdog of the society is expected to play their roles in this direction.
Let them add their weight to these crusades. We should all know that your children are my children, and those of our children, yet to be born will not remain this way. Let the press do what they know how to do and ensure that project skill acquisition in performance not the lawful duties. As you know, and as I said earlier, they owe us a lot as the mouthpiece of the people and the watchdog of the society.
Let them know that for this country to move forward, technical and technological knowledge are very important and a clear study has shown that the magic behind the success and economic boom countries like China and others are enjoying today is technical and technological knowledge.
So let all hands be on deck for this country to be moved forward.
