TETFund Seeks Bigger Budget And New Curriculum For Modern Workforce

The Tertiary Education Trust Fund has urged the federal government to raise its education budget to meet the UNESCO benchmark of 15 to 20 percent, far above the seven percent currently allocated.

The appeal was made in Abuja by the fund’s Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, while delivering the 13th Convocation Lecture at Nile University.

Echono said stronger funding is needed to give schools digital tools, upgraded laboratories and better-trained instructors. He pointed to Rwanda and Kenya as examples of African countries that have moved forward by committing more resources to their education sectors.

He noted that Nigeria’s curriculum at both secondary and tertiary levels no longer matches the needs of today’s global job market. He said students must be trained in areas such as digital literacy, entrepreneurship, data science, renewable energy, artificial intelligence and financial literacy if they are to compete in a technology-driven world.

Echono observed that despite the large number of graduates produced each year, youth unemployment continues to rise because the system is not aligned with modern labour demands. He said expanding ICT use in schools is essential to prepare learners for current and future opportunities.

He explained that teachers also need a clear professional development framework to help them gain the skills required for modern teaching. He encouraged tertiary institutions to strengthen entrepreneurship programmes so graduates can create jobs rather than rely solely on formal employment.

Echono also stressed the importance of vocational and technical education, saying these areas can help reduce unemployment if properly developed. He advised Nigeria to learn from countries like Germany and South Korea, which successfully merged academic study with hands-on vocational training.

On STEM education, he said science and technology subjects are key to building creativity, problem-solving skills and innovation. Earlier, Nile University Vice-Chancellor Dilli Dogo warned that nearly half of executive-level jobs may disappear in the next few years, urging universities to produce graduates who can adapt and contribute to national growth.