The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of a former Governor
of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, Adedayo Adeyeye (Ekiti), Dr. Stephen Orhu
(Delta), and Dr. Abdul Bulama (Yobe) as ministers.
The nominees, who answered questions from the senators on the state of
the nation, agreed that an urgent review of the country’s education curriculum
remained the best way to tackle unemployment, poverty and insurgency.
Shekarau, a two-term governor of Kano State, lamented the high level of
unemployment in the country which he linked to the disruption of the Universal
Primary Education policy by the successive military administration in the
country.
He maintained that “the issue of skills acquisition for Nigerian
students at the first three years of secondary education as envisioned in the
6-3-3-4 curriculum should be revisited by government and effectively
implemented.”
He said, “The skills acquisition component of the 6-3-3-4 education
curriculum started in 1976 with the implementation of the Universal Primary
Education and followed up with importation of Introductory Technology equipment
from 1979-1982, for skills acquisition by junior secondary school pupils.
“The policy would have to a very large extent, assisted the country in
producing self-reliant and self-employed school leavers at that level on a
yearly basis if the programme had been implemented as envisioned.
“Part of the way out for our dear country on the problem of unemployment
which breeds indiscipline, and unrest, among others in the country is for us to
go back to the curriculum by making it to practically serve as catalyst for
addressing the issue of unemployment of school leavers right from the
classrooms.”
Shekarau justified the defection of politicians from one political party
to another as a normal practice.
He said, “There have been some inconsistencies in the polity. The issue
of changing political parties if you read the history of the Americans too,
they did worse than what we are doing at the stage at which we are. Ideologies
are not imposed, it is an ongoing process.
“Education is the progressive discovery of ignorance. Gradually we are
learning, we are trying to develop. Ideologies will become institutionalised by
themselves.
“These movements (defection) I don’t totally agree that all the time
they are for personal interests. They are dictated by circumstances of the
political development around the environment you are in. I am sure with time,
ideologies will be institutionalised.”
He also identified the immediate fixing of the power sector by the
government as a critical factor that could assist in solving the problem of
unemployment.
Adeyeye suggested that the National Youth Service Corps scheme should
not be scrapped but rather strengthened to promote national unity and
integration.
According to him, the scheme as envisioned in 1973 and implemented till
date, has in no small way, contributed to the unity of the country in so many
ways.
Bulama suggested the use of electronic voting system but that it should
be experimented with by-elections.
Mark, after their confirmation, charged the ministerial
designates to make Nigeria as their constituencies and not their states or
political parties.
He said, “We hope that whenever they are given portfolio, they will see
Nigeria as their constituency and not their state or political parties.”