Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, has called for a radical transformation in Nigeria’s education system, urging a shift from traditional rote learning to experiential education.
Speaking at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology’s (ESUT) Distinguished Personalities Lecture Series, Mbah stressed that experiential learning would better equip graduates with practical skills for innovation and economic growth.
“The answers to these questions lie in many inconvenient truths, amongst which is the fact that the learning in our schools, from basic to tertiary, has for years not imbued our young people with productive skills and competencies. This is a root cause of our underdevelopment,” Mbah said, criticizing the current education model for failing to foster practical skills necessary for industrialization.
Drawing comparisons to countries like the U.S., China, and Germany, Mbah highlighted the role of experiential education in their economic success. He also outlined his administration’s plans to build 260 Smart Green Schools across Enugu State to facilitate hands-on learning.
As part of his reform agenda, Mbah directed all state-owned tertiary institutions to integrate experiential learning into their curricula, aiming for a comprehensive policy shift across planning, budgets, assessments, and research.
The governor also revealed that his administration has allocated 33% of Enugu’s annual budget to education, underscoring the importance of reform. University leaders, including ESUT Vice Chancellor Prof. Alloysius-Michael Okolie, commended Mbah’s commitment to education reform, acknowledging his substantial investments in the sector.
Mbah’s push for experiential learning is seen as a crucial step toward bridging Nigeria’s skills gap and aligning the education system with the demands of the global economy.
