The recent launch of a structured work-study programme by the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) and Sterling Bank Plc has been described as a significant step toward aligning Nigeria’s education system with industry needs—an approach EduTimes Africa has consistently advocated for over the past three years.
The partnership, formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), is designed to integrate classroom instruction with hands-on workplace experience, ensuring that students graduate with practical, market-relevant skills.
Under the initiative, National Diploma graduates and undergraduates will combine paid employment at Sterling Bank with continued academic studies, while also benefiting from scholarships supported by the bank’s Grow with Sterling initiative.
In a statement signed by YABATECH’s Deputy Registrar, Mr Adekunle Adams, the college explained that the programme seeks to address graduate employability challenges by closing the gap between academic curricula and workplace expectations.
Adams quoted the Group Head of Sterling Academy, Mr Kola Oluyemi, as saying that the collaboration reflects the bank’s commitment to developing a future-ready workforce through deliberate engagement with educational institutions.
He also quoted the Rector of YABATECH, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, who described the partnership as a strategic move to reposition technical education and produce graduates who are both academically grounded and practically skilled.
While the initiative has been widely welcomed, EduTimes Africa notes that the programme closely reflects the dual education model practiced in countries such as Germany, where students combine structured academic learning with industry-based training.
Notably, EduTimes Africa recommended a similar framework in its very first interview series in 2023, arguing that Nigeria must move away from purely theoretical training and adopt work-integrated learning models capable of producing industry-ready graduates.
In a commentary published in 2023, an EduTimes Editor described such an approach as “the most viable pathway for addressing youth unemployment and skills mismatch in Nigeria,” drawing parallels with Germany’s dual education system.
Beyond work-study models, EduTimes Africa has also consistently advocated for the promotion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as a credible and sustainable education pathway, challenging long-standing biases that favour conventional university degrees over technical skills.
For over three years, the publication has maintained that Africa’s socio-economic challenges require creative, forward-looking education reforms, rather than the recycling of policies that have repeatedly failed to deliver meaningful outcomes.
The YABATECH–Sterling Bank initiative, observers say, lends further credence to EduTimes Africa’s growing reputation as a visionary education-focused publication—one that has continued to push for innovative, industry-driven solutions to the continent’s education and employment crises.
Both institutions have expressed confidence that the programme will serve as a national model, with implementation expected to commence in the coming weeks.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.