A recent move by some of Nigeria’s Federal Government institutions to make General Studies (GST) courses compulsory and count them toward students’ final CGPAs is a promising attempt to modernise higher education.
Courses such as GST 102 (Communication Skills) and GST 307 (Entrepreneurship) are meant to give students the tools to navigate an economy that’s no longer just about what you know, but how well you can communicate, adapt, and solve problems.
But while the intention is sound, the delivery method remains outdated, and that could make the entire effort fall short.
Soft skills have become critical in today’s job market. A 2023 report from McKinsey & Company found that employers now rank communication, teamwork, and problem-solving higher than technical qualifications.
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This trend isn’t just global; it applies to Nigeria’s fast-changing job landscape, where graduates face a saturated labour market and a growing mismatch between degrees and jobs.
Yet in many universities, these GST courses are still taught the old-fashioned way: to hundreds of students in lecture halls that leave no room for interaction, feedback, or practice.
And that’s a problem. Research from Frontiers in Psychology (2023) confirms that students in large lecture-style classes retain less and engage less. Teaching communication skills to a crowd of 500 is like trying to learn to swim by watching someone else in the pool.
The problem isn’t the curriculum; it’s the method. Communication-focused courses like GST 102 should include mock interviews, public speaking sessions, and debates.
GST 307, focused on entrepreneurship, would benefit from mentorship programmes, business simulations, and hands-on projects that allow students to test and refine ideas, not just memorise theories.
“Yet in many universities, these GST courses are still taught the old-fashioned way: to hundreds of students in lecture halls that leave no room for interaction, feedback, or practice.”
The timing of this overhaul could not be more urgent. With artificial intelligence (AI) reshaping work, even high-paying roles in investment banking, fintech, and marketing are now seeing entry-level functions automated.
The World Economic Forum predicts that by 2025, half of all employees globally will need reskilling, and the soft skills of creativity, persuasion, and leadership will top the list.
In fact, as an educator recently said on X (formerly Twitter), “AI is coming for tasks, but soft skills will keep you employed.” This rings especially true in Nigeria, where rising youth unemployment (averaging 8.4 percent as of early 2024 for ages 15-24, according to the National Bureau of Statistics) means that graduates must stand out not just on paper but in interviews, pitches, and teams.
Compulsory GST courses are a good start, but simply making a course mandatory does not make it effective. Universities must go beyond ticking boxes; they must rethink how these courses are taught.
Smaller class sizes, student-led discussions, and practical assignments can bring these courses to life and ensure they do what they’re meant to: prepare students not just to pass exams, but to thrive in the real world.
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If Nigeria is serious about equipping its young population for the future of work, then classroom reform is not optional; it’s essential. The real measure of success will not be found in attendance sheets or exam scores, but in whether graduates leave with skills that algorithms can’t replicate.
Oladehinde Yusuf (Yusesky), B.Sc., M.Sc. is a Data Analyst and Managing Director/CEO of Educational Logistics (Edulog), specializing in innovative solutions for the education sector.
