A call has been made to the Federal Government to address the massive migration of Nigerians abroad in search of jobs or education, a trend known as the Japa syndrome.
The President of Ikeja Club, Adeleke Musediq, made the call at this year’s Independence Day celebration at the Club. To stop the trend, Musediq said the Federal Government has to overhaul the 6-3-3-4 system of education, lamenting that the system has failed to achieve its goals, forcing many Nigerians to seek education abroad.
He added: “Some students even drop out after Junior Secondary School (JSS 3) due to hike in school fees, thereby swelling the number of unemployed Nigerians. Many of them cannot afford to enroll for WAEC and JAMB exams, due to the high cost of enrolment and other frustrating factors.”
He called on the government to reintroduce and strengthen scholarship schemes, which pull many Nigerians to higher institutions abroad, where education is affordable.
According to him, there is a need to revisit or reintroduce agricultural schemes that will engage young Nigerians, with inspiring emoluments. The schemes, he said, would engage persons with secondary school certificates and young graduates of tertiary institutions.
“Government should also consider making courses or subjects relating to cultural diversity of the country compulsory in our schools. This will check the current trend, whereby our future leaders are fast losing grip of their cultural background,” he added.
On job creation, he called for the creation of an enabling environment by all tiers of government to inspire foreign and local investors to establish industries in the country.
The industries, according to him, will create job opportunities for teeming unemployed Nigerians.
“We call on the government to set up programmes that will enable students to work and further their studies,” he added.
In his remarks, the immediate past President of the club, Otunba Ayodeji Randle, described Ikeja Club as a foremost socially-responsible club in Lagos, committed to advocacy and activities aimed at bringing about good development not only in Lagos State but in the entire country.
