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Perm Sec. tasks education stakeholders on challenges of bridging skills gap

Published

6 years ago

May 31, 2019

Perm Sec. tasks education stakeholders on challenges of bridging skills gap

Mr Sonny Echono, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, has urged education stakeholders to come together to address the challenges of graduate employment suitability in the country

The permanent secretary made the remark at a two-day Technical Workshop on Skills Gap Assessment in Tertiary Institutions on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the workshop with the theme: “Bridging the Skills Gap of Tertiary Education Graduates in Nigeria”, was aimed at bringing together education stakeholders to address the challenges of graduate employment suitability in the country.

Echono said the World Economic Forum (WEF) has predicted that by 2030, new jobs would replace traditional jobs, as the country moves toward the Fourth industrial revolution.

He said that the workplace would be transformed and digitalised by 2030; and as such required different skill-set to tackle.

He said that the Federal Government, through the ministry, had taken bold steps over the years to tackle the challenges of the Nigerian education system, to make graduates globally competitive.

According to him, by 2030, the top 10 skills required for future workers, as reported by the (WEF), are complex problem-solving, critical thinking, creativity, people management and coordinating with others.

“Others are emotional intelligence, judgment and decision-making, service orientation, negotiation and cognitive flexibility.

“As we move toward the fourth industrial revolution, it will, therefore, be insane to keep doing the same thing and expect different results.”

Echono said that in a bid to close the skills gap, the government had earmarked on N1.3 trillion for special intervention in Nigerian public universities for over six years, between 2013 and 2019.

The permanent secretary said that N220 billion, out of this amount, had been released and disbursed to public-owned universities based on their peculiar needs.

“Another far-reaching progress made to close the skills gap and produce a workforce that is skilled, efficient, highly mobile, adaptable and innovative is the institutionalisation of the Nigerian Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) in 2018.

“The framework developed by the NBTE for promoting Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Nigeria identified obvious skills gap in the educational system, which has caused graduates not to be competitive in the global market place.”

He said the education system of any country is very strategic and sensitive to be treated like any other sector.

According to him, the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals would be a mirage, if not hinged on solid education system.

Echono called on development partners and the organised labour to end the relative skills gap in the education system, as this was unacceptable for our children, and as well unsustainable for our democracy.

Earlier, the Director, Tertiary Education in the ministry, Mr Joel Ojo, highlighted the importance of partnership, to generate far-reaching resolutions that would be of benefit to our future graduates.

Ojo called on all stakeholders in all sectors of the economy to correct the anomaly of skills gap.

“At the end of this workshop, an instrument will be developed and drawn to actually inquire into the prevailing needs in respect of the present skills gap.

“We would come up with a realistic road-map, to put an end to the challenge in tertiary education sector.

Dr Tunde Adekola from the World Bank said it was time a resolution was made, that would support tertiary education in skills development.

Adekola called on the government at all levels to support post-basic education, noting that this was where the issues of skills gap lied, and must urgently be addressed.

He said that private sectors should also be a strong player in addressing the gaps.

“It is time we know the demand gap assessment and the market assessment, which means we must know the number of people we need, to fill up the market.

“Therefore, institutions should be strengthened to address the gap. They should be able to remedy the situation when they are still in the university.

“They need to train those who are already in the system, to meet the demand of the labour market.’’

Adekola called on Non-Governmental Organisation, Federal, State and Local Governments and other arms of government, to form coalition to address the skills gap in our tertiary institutions.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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