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To boost skill development in the country among young people, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno state, and the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, have obtained 12,000 copies of Skills Rather than Just Degrees, a book authored by Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, on finding relevance in today’s global digital economy.
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Authored by the Professor of Cybersecurity, the book was launched last by the President of Microsoft Corporation, Mr. Brad Smith, who wrote the Foreword to the book.
Skills Rather than Just Degrees focused on the importance of skills and its potential impact in addressing the problems of un-employability, unemployment and underemployment. The book is a research and productive work implementing the paradigm shift advocated by Pantami and is in alignment with the approach being adopted in leading educational and technological countries like the United States of America, Finland and India.
The book has been endorsed by the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Abubakar Adamu Rasheed; and Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Professor Idris Muhammad Bugaje.
Others who also and reviewed the book included Vice Chancellor of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Professor M.A. Abdulazeez; Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Owunari Abraham Georgewill; and Vice Chancellor of Bayero University Kano, Prof. Sagir Adamu Abbas.
According to Professor Zulum, he obtained 10,000 copies of the book for distribution in schools and other institutions in Borno state to boost skilling in Nigeria. Senator Sirika similarly obtained 2,000 copies for distribution to institutions across the country.
“Both high profile personalities were motivated to do this after reading the book and acknowledging the high quality of the content and its capacity to inspire Nigerians to embrace skills as a catalyst for national transformation. They also encouraged well-meaning Nigerians and institutions for follow their example. It is hoped that other stakeholders will try and circulate the book in their communities,” said Senior Technical Assistant (R&D) to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Femi Adeluyi in a statement released this week in Abuja.
