PROMOTING CAREER AWARENESS AND OCCUPATIONAL LITERACY SKILLS REFORM, AMONG UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION STUDENTS IN NIGERIA IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

In the contemporary labour market, foundational literacy and numeracy alone no longer suffice for productive participation in economic life. Career awareness, understood as knowledge of diverse occupations, their skill requirements and entry pathways, and occupational literacy, defined as the capacity to interpret and apply workplace-related information, procedures and digital tools, have become essential competencies. This paper focuses on the nine-year Universal Basic Education (UBE) programme in Nigeria, the developmental stage during which children’s occupational ideas and self-concepts begin to form. Using a qualitative desk-based synthesis of policy documents, curriculum frameworks, academic literature and official reports, the study examines the current status of these competencies within UBE, identifies structural gaps and analyses their implications for learners and national human capital development. The analysis reveals that while prevocational subjects and recent initiatives such as the School-to-Work Scheme exist, systematic and age-appropriate career education remains underdeveloped. The paper concludes that deliberate promotion of career awareness and occupational literacy during the UBE years can expand aspirations, reduce skills mismatch and build adaptability, and it offers expanded, practical recommendations for curriculum, teacher development, experiential learning and policy support. The paper further argues that career learning should not be treated as an activity reserved for students approaching senior secondary school or tertiary education. Rather, it should develop progressively from childhood through meaningful classroom experiences, conversations with teachers and parents, exposure to different occupations, practical activities and appropriate use of digital resources. Such an approach can help Nigerian learners understand the connection between what they learn in school and the changing world of work.