Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called for a major review of Nigeria’s school curriculum to include strong entrepreneurship education. He made this call on Sunday during the graduation and prize-giving ceremony of Pacesetters’ School in Abuja.
Atiku, who contested the 2023 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said Nigeria cannot achieve national development without investing in education that prepares young people to become job creators, not just job seekers.
He said the current education system should do more than pass on knowledge—it must equip students with practical skills that support innovation, enterprise, and national unity.
“Education is the most powerful tool for human development,” Atiku stated. “It empowers our young people to become engineers, doctors, or whatever they want to be.”
Reflecting on his own experience, Atiku shared how American Peace Corps teachers helped shape his education in 1961 after the British left Nigeria. He said their influence inspired him to adopt an American-style curriculum in the schools he established later in life.
He urged the graduating students to remain focused in their academic journey and use education as a stepping stone to greater achievements.
Atiku’s remarks come amid growing concern over rising youth unemployment in Nigeria, and increasing calls for an education system that is more responsive to the demands of the modern economy.
