The South-East region of Nigeria is sitting on a ticking time bomb, a rapidly growing population of disillusioned and underutilised youth, caught between dwindling job prospects and a national education system that no longer serves their practical needs. It is time to act decisively.
The Case for Technical Education in the South-East
For decades, the South-East was known for its industry, commerce, and unmatched entrepreneurial spirit. From spare parts manufacturing in Nnewi to leather processing in Aba, our region thrived on applied skills, self-reliance, and innovation. But that legacy is fading, not due to lack of talent, but from the steady collapse of the institutions that nurtured those talents.
Government Technical Colleges, once the backbone of skills acquisition and vocational excellence, have been neglected and are now shadows of their former selves. Their revival is not optional, it is a matter of regional survival.
Facts and Figures
Youth Unemployment in the South-East: As of Q4 2023, the average youth unemployment rate in the South-East stood at 42.5%, compared to the national average of 37.2%. (Source: NBS)
Skills Gap: According to the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), over 65% of Nigerian polytechnic graduates lack practical industry-ready skills, largely due to poor infrastructure and curriculum misalignment.
Enrollment Decline: Government Technical Colleges across Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Abia states now operate at less than 30% capacity, with many facilities dilapidated and lacking basic equipment.
Economic Opportunity Loss: The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that Nigeria loses over $10 billion annually due to shortage of skilled technicians, artisans, and industrial workers, many of whom could be trained through revitalised technical colleges.
Why the South-East Needs a Specialized Curriculum
The South-East’s economic DNA is unique. Our needs differ from the rest of Nigeria, and our educational strategies must reflect this reality.
What We Need Instead:
Oil and Gas Technical Skills: With marginal fields and modular refineries emerging, we must train welders, pipefitters, rig operators, and instrumentation technicians.
Agri-Business & Processing: The South-East has fertile land and access to local produce, yet lacks trained hands in agro-processing, farm mechanisation, and export packaging.
Commerce & Trade-Based Skills: Tailored business education, e-commerce management, supply chain logistics, and craftsmanship training must become central to our curriculum.
Alternative to Over-theorised Education: Over 60% of South-East graduates are underemployed, many with degrees they cannot convert to value. It is time to shift emphasis from paper qualification to productive specialization.
Strategic Recommendations
- Immediate Audit and Rehabilitation of all Government Technical Colleges in the South-East.
- Zonal Curriculum Overhaul: Develop a South-East tailored education policy focused on technical, entrepreneurial, and industry-driven training.
- Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) to equip, fund, and co-manage the institutions.
- Legislative Push for a South-East Skills Development Fund, backed by federal and international donors.
- Catch-Them-Young Campaigns: Begin technical orientation from junior secondary level with scholarships and incentives for TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) students.
Conclusion
We can no longer afford to graduate a generation of jobless, skill-less, and frustrated youths. The government, private sector, religious institutions, and traditional leadership must rally together to revive the government technical colleges as a strategic intervention.
Our children do not need more theories, they need tools. They don’t need more certificates, they need skills. And they don’t need more excuses, they need opportunities.
This is the time to act. Before it is too late.
By Hon. Chimazuru Nnadi-Oforgu
Duruebube Uzii na Abosi
OBLONG MEDIA UNLIMITED 
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