A Case for the Introduction of Cooperative Education in the Nigerian Education System

Youth unemployment remains a major political and socioeconomic challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, particularly given the region's young population. Literature points to two key barriers facing youth employment in the region, skills deficiencies and weak fundamentals that inhibit job creation and growth. Labor supply challenges are not unique to the younger population, and employment interventions adopted by the Nigerian government to combat these challenges in the formal wage sector, are primarily focused on graduates and non-graduates. This paper makes a case for encouraging the education system, employers, and governments to better prepare post-secondary students for the labor market before graduation through cooperative education. Cooperative education, a strategic policy response geared towards increasing youth employability and smoothing school-to-work transition, can help address the gap in the current suite of government intervention strategies and allow for a more proactive, dynamic and progressive response.