Our tertiary schools are busy churning out graduates by the number. We are putting more people in the present system that does not have the capacity to hold what is already on ground. The problem that the present Nigeria graduate faces starts from the school they graduate from. With little or no funding for the schools, there is little the school can offer to a student. A nation that refused to invest in the education of its youth certainly does not want to grow. We are rolling out graduates from our schools quite alright, but most are not qualified to work in a competitive environment. This can be traced from the kind of teaching/training they received while in school.
With no funding for research and development coming from the government, the schools are not in position to offer wholesome training for its students. That is while a computer science graduate may not be computer literate until he goes for training in one of those road side' schools. It is amazing what we learn in our 5/7 years sojourn in school. Recently I learned that a department in a private school in the US received more funding than the whole of UNILAG! Just imagine that, talk about competitive edge. Malaysia, Singapore and other Asian powerhouse got to the height they presently occupied because they invested heavily in education and research. Malaysia invests 90% of its capital budget on education; see where it has gotten them.
The Nigeria graduate is half baked. Companies that are employing these days over looked them, preferring instead to work with those that hold foreign degree. The average Nigerian graduate may really have nothing to offer to the organization. With stiff and cut throat competitions, organizations cannot afford to employ people who cannot take them to the next level. With the kind of schooling the graduate got, it is easy to imagine what they have to give.
Getting after school training in your field of study is very important if you want to stay competitive. You should also go for certification if your field allows it. There is always room for growth. There is nothing you can gain now from blaming the system that made you, but you certainly can improve your chance of getting a good job and building a career.
