Opinion
Economic Success Of Vocational Education
Vocationalism as a concept refers to a form of education which in addition to providing general education and training, involves the study of applied science and the acquisition of practical skills and knowledge with occupational orientation. Its primary purpose is to provide skills and manpower for industry and other technological services required by society. It involves training provided by vocational schools, technical colleges, polytechnics and universities, training provided by industry through on-the-job and other training programmes and apprenticeship training in the non-formal sector.
In Britain, the shift towards vocational and technical education took place when there was the realisation that economic success of any state was dependent on manufacturing rather than art, an imagination which is perceived as leisure pursuit.
Pre-vocational education during Callaghan’s time (according to Maurice Holt 1987) saw a lot of initiatives by many organisations such as the Department of Education and Science (DES), Manpower Service Commission (MSC), among others, to establish schemes such as Technical and Vocational Education Initiative (TVEI), so as to encourage positive shift towards vocational and technical education with aim also to promote in people the belief that youngsters should be trained as self-sufficient competitors in business and industry, ready to fight in the world markets.
Nigeria, like Britain, in 1982 saw the massive turnout of the products of liberal education at all levels of education, the majority of the school leavers became unemployed. To solve the problem of unemployment, the government decided to shift priority from the traditional liberal education to technical and vocational education in the hope of educating and training the individuals at all levels to be self- reliant.
Nigerians’ philosophy of education derives from the broad national objectives which are well articulated in the National Policy on Education (NPE) for the country. The policy is based on the integration of the individual into a sound and effective citizen and the provision of equal educational opportunities for all citizens at all levels both within and outside the formal school system.
The philosophy, however, recognises that general, vocational technical education are both essential aspects in the process of preparing an individual for a living.
In other words, vocational and technical education will produce the range both in quality and quantity of technical manpower required for the transformation of Nigeria into a technological society. In this regard enormous emphasis has recently been placed on vocational education at the federal, state and local government levels.
Recent statistics show that about 40 per cent of the primary school leavers do not enter secondary schools, and about 50 per cent of secondary school leavers do not go further in higher academic pursuit.
Vocational education is, therefore, regarded as essential for furnishing the youth and adults with saleable skills that will enable them secure jobs at appropriate levels when they leave school. The highest possible welfare is achieved only when each individual produces to the limit of his capacity. For this reason, the necessity for equipping each person for some occupation is a fact that even the most primitive society has recognised.
Although the Nigerian government is positively geared towards rapid expansion of vocational technical education, the problem lies in the attitude of those charged with the responsibility of administering vocational education. Good teachers of vocational and technical education have often been difficult to find. Sometimes, those responsible for recruitment and management of personnel for vocational education and general decision-making have been largely ignorant of and apathetic towards the logistics and mechanics of the vocational education process.
They may be competent administrators of other aspects of education, but they are not well qualified to plan vocational and technical education. Thus, the general lack of equipment and facilities for expansion and the relatively slow development of vocational technical education in Nigeria can largely be attributed to a lack of technical know-how, indifference and general inefficiency of some charged with the planning and administration of vocational and technical education.
The government’s “spirit” is thus very willing, but the machinery for implementation is so far weak. Several appeals are increasingly being made at the federal and state levels for educators to monitor programmes and produce appropriate technology to facilitate the successful implementation of vocational and technical education programmes. With the present commitment both financially and morally on the part of various governments in Nigeria, vocational/technical education will certainly achieve the important place it deserves in the economic development of the country.
By: Chen Orngu
Orngu wrote from Nsukka.
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
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