The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday, urged youths to acquire knowledge not towards getting government jobs as there are no “jobs in government anymore.”
He also urged youths to acquaint themselves with history to avoid making the same mistakes of the past.
According to a statement signed on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari said this when he paid a Sallah homage visit to the Emir of Daura, Faruk Faruk, at his Palace.
The statement is titled ‘Train, educate your children on right values, the world is changing, President Buhari tells Nigerians.’
He implored parents to inculcate right values in children, including deep fear of God, respect for constituted authorities and living a purposeful life through continuous education.
“We should ensure the children get proper education. The knowledge they acquire should not be towards getting government jobs.
“We don’t have jobs in government anymore. With technology, governments are becoming smaller, nimble and efficient.
“Emphasis should now be on skills acquisition and competence in creation and deployment of technology. During the COVID-19, we asked all level 12 downwards to stay at home, and surprisingly, the systems worked effectively,” the President said.
He also noted that the younger children should be guided and taught history, as they would find it hard to be patriotic, responsible and respectful, without a thorough understanding of their backgrounds.
“Whoever does not have a good sense of history will easily make mistakes,” he said.
President Buhari told the Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Faruk, that he will be more regular in visits, preparatory to the handing over in May, 2023, adding that the prolonged absence was due to the demands of his office.
“This is the longest I have been away from home. In fact, the Emir took to the court of public opinion at the prayer ground, when he openly told everyone that I had not visited Daura for close to a year,” he said.
He urged all Nigerians to make sacrifices to move the country forward, especially the public servants, calling for more selflessness and inclusion.
“In the end, it is only God that can reward your efforts, not man,” Buhari noted.