Onuakalusi Okey-Joe, a member of the House of Representatives representing Oshodi Federal Constituency II, has urged the federal government to urgently reform the nation’s educational system to make it more functional and future-oriented.
Speaking at a kidpreneurial development event and book launch organized by Business Matters Incubators – Catch Them Young (BMI-CTY) on Friday, Okey-Joe criticized the existing 6-3-3-4 education system as dysfunctional. He praised BMI-CTY for its innovative ideas aimed at creating a brighter future for Nigeria.
“Adversity and hardship have always birthed innovations globally. No great nation emerged without challenges. Singapore and China transformed themselves through innovative responses to their challenges,” Okey-Joe stated. He emphasized that Nigeria’s current educational challenges should inspire similar innovation and progress.
Okey-Joe lamented that Nigeria’s education system lacks functionality, focusing too much on rote learning rather than problem-solving. “What we need is a functional education system that equips students with practical skills to solve real-world problems,” he said. He commended BMI-CTY for addressing this gap in functional education.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s pioneering role in the 6-3-3-4 system, Okey-Joe called for a return to its foundational goal of providing problem-solving education. He highlighted the success of technical education in other countries, noting, “60 percent of the Chinese you see around the world didn’t attend universities; they went to technical schools.”
BMI-CTY Chairman Nnamdi Unachukwu echoed these sentiments, stressing the importance of educational reform. “We have identified the missing link needed to secure the future of young Nigerians as nation-builders. This is a call to action for educational reform that will shape the future of young minds,” Unachukwu said.
He emphasized that entrepreneurship education is key to reducing poverty, unemployment, fraud, and insecurity in Nigeria. “It took years of research, consultation, and hard work, but Business Matters Incubators is committed to driving this change,” he added.
