Higher Education and Workforce Alignment in Nigeria: Challenges and Opportunities
The provision of quality education is cardinal to the attainment of a nation’s developmental aspirations. This is to say that a highly-trained stained or skilled workforce is sine qua non for national human development capital, technological and economic progress. In essence, a nation’s path to economic development is dependent on the availability of requisite skilled manpower that will contribute the requisite knowledge and skills to foster and sustain national development. To achieve the necessary impetus, the paper advocates increased funding of the education sector to not only provide necessary facilities, but also nurture talents and top-notch intellectuals and professionals leading to a drop in unemployment, social unrest, and insecurity, The findings reveal that the failure of Nigeria to leverage her educational trajectory with workplace realities is the leading cause of unfavorable developmental indices. To address the situation, the country needs to re-examine her educational policies vis-à- vis her workplace realities. The study concludes by proffering suggestions on the right curriculum and structural reforms necessary to effectively maximize her workforce potential.
Higher Education, Challenges, Opportunities, Basic Education, Workplace.
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