The Vice-Chancellor of Trinity University, Yaba, Lagos State, Prof. Clement Kolawole, has called for compulsory one-year engagement of students in skill acquisition programme after their junior secondary school.

Kolawole made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He was reacting to Federal Government‘s proposal to scrap the 6-3-3-4 education system and replace it with a 12-year basic education model.

“There is need to subject students to compulsory one-year skill acquisition programme after their JSS classes.

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“This will equip them with practical abilities, making them to have more knowledge.

“The benefits cannot be over-emphasized as they will be capable of seizing opportunities through entrepreneurship, especially in a competitive economy where the traditional degrees alone are not enough,” he said.

NAN reports that the 6-3-3-4 education system provides that a child spends six years in primary school, three years in Junior Secondary School (JSS), three years in Senior Secondary School (SSS) and four years in tertiary institution.

The proposed policy will scrap the JSS and SSS structure.

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Kolawole said that the compulsory skill acquisition programme would go a long way to foster creativity and problem-solving skills and young people.

He said that the skills would boost the students’ confidence and self-esteem as well as personal development ahead of their senior secondary school.

“Skills enhance employability at the long run,” he said.

The vice-chancellor appealed to the Federal Government to re-introduce the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) education.

He said that the HSC programme provided high quality education and prepared students to face university education.

He said that there was nothing wrong with the 6-3-3-4 system of education.

The vice-chancellor said that the education system only needed adequate funding and implementation.

“The government should invest more in the 6-3-3-4 system of education because it is a philosophy that can make us self-reliant, ” he said.

He advised that only well-trained teachers would be recruited in classrooms.

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He also called for restoration of teacher training colleges to promote production of professional teachers in the interest of education development.

“Teaching is a profession of commitment.

“Teacher training colleges are where you are taught how to engage learners,” he added.

Kolawole said that Trinity University had 19 courses fully accredited by the National Universities Commission.

“We are in partnership with six skill acquisition centres where we expose our students to make them job-ready after graduation.

“We are also in collaboration with some universities within Nigeria for mentorship, particularly the University of Lagos,” he added.