The Anambra State Government has introduced 15 entrepreneurial subjects into the Junior Secondary School curriculum.

This initiative aims to boost students’ practical skills and foster an entrepreneurial mindset among young learners.

The subjects include solar installation, garment making, GSM repairs, agriculture, plumbing, digital literacy, robotics, bakery, hairstyling, make-up, interior design, CCTV/intercom installation, event management, and others.

This move forms part of the state’s broader strategy to align education with 21st-century demands.

The new curriculum seeks to equip students with real-world skills that can enhance their employability and innovation capacity.

At the launch event in Awka, Chairperson of the Post-Primary Schools Service Commission (PPSSC), Prof. Nkechi Ikediugwu, highlighted the importance of the change.

“The goal of the programme is to prepare learners, not only to seek jobs but to create value, generate employment and contribute meaningfully to the economic development of the state.”

“Education should go beyond theory and examinations to equip students with practical skills, creativity, innovation and an entrepreneurial mindset.”

Also speaking at the event, Mr. Cyril Nwuche of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, stressed the urgency of reform.

“Traditional academic instruction alone is no longer sufficient to prepare children for the future.”

“There is a need for schools to embrace practical and skill-based learning to enable students to thrive in a dynamic global environment.”

Governor Charles Soludo laid the foundation for this educational shift in 2022.

In that year, he appointed Prof. Nkechi Ikediugwu as Chairperson of the PPSSC and announced plans to transform 22 secondary schools into smart schools.

Additional schools are expected to follow under the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) initiative.

The state has extended its free education policy up to Senior Secondary School Year 3 (SS3).

An additional 3,115 teachers were recruited, bringing the total number of teachers in the state to 8,115.

Sixty secondary school laboratories have been equipped with essential STEM tools.

Increased operational budgets for schools were also announced to support quality education delivery.

This latest curriculum change forms part of Governor Soludo’s broader education reform agenda.

The agenda aims to make schools more relevant to students’ future needs.

Many of the vocational subjects now being introduced are the same skills young people traditionally drop out of school to learn informally through apprenticeship or artisan work.

By incorporating them into the formal curriculum, the government hopes to retain more students in school.

The initiative is expected to provide structured and certified learning in these areas.

Courses such as baking, make-up, and digital literacy offer clear pathways for early income generation and entrepreneurship.

The programme may help reduce dropout rates among students who find practical learning more relevant than purely theoretical education.

It also complements Anambra’s ongoing efforts to curb out-of-school rates and build a competitive workforce.

However, the state has not yet provided details on how it will staff these vocational subjects or whether new specialist teachers will be recruited.

According to Governor Soludo, Anambra currently has the lowest rate of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

The rate is estimated at between 0.2% and 2.9% as of late 2024 and early 2025.

Earlier studies from 2021 had placed the number of out-of-school children in the state as high as 90,000, particularly in rural areas.

Bringing these practical subjects into the formal school system is a direct response to the learning preferences and realities of many students.

Since assuming office, Governor Soludo’s administration has made major investments in educational reform.

The transformation of schools into smart institutions continues under the ASUBEB programme.

Over 8,000 teachers are now employed across the system, and laboratory upgrades have received priority attention.

Operational budgets for both primary and secondary schools have been increased to support effective teaching and learning.

These initiatives are aligned with the state’s broader economic development strategy.

The inclusion of entrepreneurship education in junior secondary schools reflects the state’s commitment to preparing students for the future, not just for examinations.