* As FG to scrap Varsity courses, warns against taking NELFUND loans for worthless courses

Fresh controversy has trailed remarks by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, warning that students pursuing social science courses may face bleak job prospects, even as available data shows that unemployment challenges cut across all disciplines in the country.

The minister’s comments, delivered during an engagement with University of Abuja students, have sparked widespread backlash from academics, policy analysts and labour experts, who argue that the assertion oversimplifies a far more complex employment crisis rooted in structural economic weaknesses.

Speaking at the Renewed Hope Conversations, UniAbuja Edition, Alausa, a medical doctor-turned-politician, stated that students pursuing social science courses would face a lack of job opportunities. “We are training you not to be job seekers but entrepreneurs. A lot of you doing social science courses, with all due respect to you, there are not going to be jobs for you in the future,” he said.

Dr. Alausa further revealed that the Nigerian government has finalized plans to discontinue certain academic programmes with limited employment prospects. According to him, the decision forms part of a broader effort to align the country’s education system with current global standards, labour market demands and emerging areas of innovation. He explained that programmes considered outdated to national development goals would be replaced with disciplines that can better equip students with practical skills for today’s economy.

“With due respect to students here because I have to be brutally honest with you. Don’t take NELFUND loan that you know will not make it. We are phasing out some of these courses. I am talking with Vice-Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts. We will phase out some of these courses that were deceiving you”.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicates that Nigerians with post-secondary education recorded unemployment rates of about 7.8 to 8 per cent in 2023, higher than the national average under the revised methodology.

Also, underemployment remains widespread, while over 90 per cent of jobs are in the informal sector, as many graduates across both STEM and non-STEM fields are either underutilised or working outside their areas of training.

Recent reports suggest that more than 600,000 students graduate from tertiary institutions each year, yet only an estimated 10 to 30 per cent secure formal employment within their first year after graduation.

Pundits say this points to a deeper structural issue: Nigeria is not necessarily producing the ‘wrong graduates,’ but rather failing to create enough quality jobs.

The debate comes at a time when government spending on education has increased in nominal terms but continues to raise concerns over effectiveness.

The Guardian reports that Nigeria’s education budget rose from N1.54 trillion in 2023 to about N3.52 trillion in 2025 (representing 128.6 per cent increase). However, analysts have expressed concerns that the hike has not translated into proportional improvements in infrastructure, research capacity or graduate employability.

This is even as capital expenditure used for building laboratories, classrooms, and research facilities fell by 18.1 per cent in 2025, despite rising enrolment.

Experts warn that this shift toward recurrent spending weakens the very foundation needed to produce job-ready graduates, particularly in technical fields often prioritised by policymakers.

Nigeria’s education spending also remains below global benchmarks, accounting for less than 10 per cent of the national budget in recent years, far below UNESCO’s recommended 15–20 per cent range.

Globally, labour market data paints a different picture from the minister’s position. The World Economic Forum consistently ranks analytical thinking, communication, creativity, and problem-solving among the most in-demand skills – competencies strongly associated with social science training.

Job market platforms in Nigeria also show growing demand for roles in consulting, development, finance, policy, media and digital services, sectors where social science graduates play central roles alongside technical experts.

The Guardian observed that this is not the first time the minister has made such sweeping comments. At the launch of the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Business Incubation Certification (EIBIC) as well as the Student Venture Capital Grant initiative last month, he similarly discouraged students from pursuing social science disciplines.

At the SVCG event, for instance, the Federal Government splashed over N2.25 billion in 45 student-led ventures, prioritising the commercialisation of high-impact innovations in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine, while students from the social sciences and humanities were conspicuously missing.

His remarks have reignited debate over the direction of Nigeria’s education policy, particularly amid concerns about the mismatch between university curricula and labour market demands. Analysts note that while enrolment in Nigerian universities remains heavily skewed toward social sciences and management courses, this trend is often driven by limited capacity in STEM programmes rather than lack of interest.

In a chat with The Guardian, industry stakeholders contended that rather than dismissing entire fields of study, the Minister should focus on strengthening the linkage between education and industry, improving curriculum relevance, and expanding opportunities for graduates across sectors.

They warned that statements from top policymakers could discourage prospective students and deepen existing biases against non-Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

Speaking on the issue, the Dean, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Delta State University, Abraka, Prof. Majority Oji, emphasised that the future of work increasingly favours individuals with critical thinking, adaptability, and strong communication skills.

Prof Oji noted that social science graduates continue to thrive across sectors, often working alongside technical experts to translate innovation into real-world impact. He argued that while STEM fields drive technological advancement, they do not sufficiently address the societal, ethical, and policy implications of such innovations.

“While the fields of STEM equip us with the tools necessary for innovation, they often fall short in elucidating how these innovations impact our societies, cultures, and political structures. They do not sufficiently tackle the ethical questions that emerge from their implementation. This is where the importance of social sciences is amplified.

“Fields like sociology, psychology, economics, and political science provide vital insights into human behaviour and institutional dynamics. They help ensure that technological progress aligns with societal needs rather than undermining them,” he said.

Also speaking, the National Mobilisation Officer, Education Rights Campaign, Michael Adaramoye ‘Lenin’, described the minister’s remarks as worrisome, noting that they raise concerns about the inclusiveness of education policy.

Adaramoye argued that the real challenge lies not in the choice of discipline but in the lack of an enabling environment for graduates across fields.

He called for increased investment in infrastructure, stronger institutional frameworks and policies that support innovation and professional growth.

“Undermining disciplines like arts and social sciences is a reflection of myopic thinking,” he said. “There are no useless courses. What we have is a weak economy that cannot absorb its skilled population. Therefore, a Minister of Education holding this anti-intellectual bias calls for serious concern”.

Similarly, public affairs analyst, Ifeanyi Nwoko, dismissed the claim that social science courses are not ‘market relevant,’ describing it as a hasty generalisation.

He noted that social science graduates play key roles in sectors like public policy, development, finance, and technology, particularly in areas like market analysis, user research, and regulatory compliance.

According to him, in the context of economic development and public-private partnerships, social sciences remain indispensable, as investor confidence, stakeholder engagement, and community acceptance of projects depend largely on understanding social dynamics.

But the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has thrown its weight behind the Minister. The association’s Public Relations Officer, Samson Adeyemi, contended that social science courses are often perceived as less rigorous compared to STEM fields.

Adeyemi, who holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as a Ph.D. in Political Science and Public Administration, stated that the Minister’s comments reflect a practical reality rather than an act of discrimination.

He, however, advised the Minister to exercise greater caution in his statements, given the weight and influence of his office.