Governance, Education and Creative Potentials of Nigerian Graduates: A Discourse

Abstract

One of the cardinal goals of education in every nation is to develop the minds, creative potentials and skills of the citizens. This can be achieved through a well thought out plans and policies of government, whose constitutional responsibilities include: the formulation and implementation of workable educational policies. Therefore, this study is an attempt to explore the extent of success and failure of education policy in Nigeria with specific focus on the creative potentials and skills of Nigerian graduates for job creation and self reliance, which is one of the goals of education policy in Nigeria. To achieve its objective, the paper adopted the descriptive method of research, in which data provided and analyzed were generated from secondary sources - journals, text books, government publications and internet materials. Findings revealed amongst others that, the rate of unemployment, criminality, insurgency, kidnapping and other social vices are not only consequences of poor implementation of education policy, but also, the unemployability and inability of most Nigerian graduates to create jobs and become self reliant, form part of the resultant effects of poor standard/quality of education in Nigeria.  Based on the findings, the paper recommended, amongst others that, for Nigerian graduates to practically develop and utilize their creative potentials and skills for job creation and self reliance, teaching/learning should, indeed, be practical, activity-based, experimental and ICT supported, especially in the sciences, and entrepreneurship development. Government should not only make provisions for financial empowerment that will guarantee a smooth takeoff of creative ventures, but should also, ensure strict supervision to ensure that the money gets to the right individuals and utilized for the purpose for which it was disbursed (job creation).