Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Nigeria Airlines, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, has referred to as on Nigerian universities to urgently overhaul their tutorial system by inserting better emphasis on sensible expertise, innovation and entrepreneurship somewhat than the mere acquisition of certificates.
Okonkwo stated the nation’s greater training establishments should produce graduates geared up with competencies that tackle real-world challenges, enhance employability and drive nationwide improvement.
He made the decision on Tuesday whereas delivering the 14th Convocation Lecture of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), titled “Functional Education and the Nigerian Project: Strategic Human Capital Development for National Renewal,” on the Alfa Belgore Multipurpose Hall, Ado-Ekiti.
According to him, the relevance of training ought to now not be measured by the variety of certificates awarded however by graduates’ capability to remedy issues, create worth and contribute meaningfully to financial development.
He advocated a transition from content-based educating to competency-driven studying that develops essential pondering, creativity, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, moral management and sensible problem-solving skills.
Okonkwo careworn that authorities and universities should make investments extra in technical and vocational training, fashionable laboratories, engineering workshops, analysis services and different infrastructure able to exposing college students to sensible experiences related to their professions.
The United Nigeria Airlines chairman additionally urged stronger collaboration between universities, industries and authorities to guarantee tutorial programmes stay aligned with labour market realities and rising financial alternatives.
He stated such partnerships would offer college students with sensible office expertise earlier than commencement, improve their employability and stimulate indigenous innovation and know-how improvement.
Highlighting United Nigeria Airlines’ collaboration with ABUAD, Okonkwo stated college students of the college’s Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering programme presently endure six months of business coaching on the airline’s engineering facility in Lagos, the place they obtain hands-on expertise in plane upkeep, avionics, aviation security {and professional} engineering apply.
He challenged extra personal sector organisations to set up related partnerships by way of internships, apprenticeships, analysis collaborations and know-how switch initiatives.
Okonkwo additional referred to as on universities to commercialise analysis outputs, stressing that greater establishments ought to transfer past information technology to producing sensible options able to addressing Nigeria’s developmental challenges.
Responding, Founder of ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), stated the lecture strengthened his long-held concern over the disconnect between college training and the sensible expertise graduates require after leaving faculty.
Babalola urged the Federal Government to evaluate college curricula to guarantee graduates purchase skilled competencies able to making them job creators somewhat than job seekers.
He additionally advocated stricter regulatory measures within the approval of personal universities, insisting that licensing authorities ought to conduct thorough bodily inspections to confirm the supply of sufficient infrastructure earlier than granting operational licences.
The authorized icon disclosed that he had constituted a panel comprising eight vice-chancellors to advocate extra measures for strengthening ABUAD’s tutorial requirements.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of ABUAD, Professor Smaranda Olarinde, described the convocation lecture as a well timed platform for inspecting how training can higher develop the abilities, character and modern capability required for Nigeria’s sustainable improvement.
She counseled Okonkwo and United Nigeria Airlines for supporting sensible training by way of their partnership with the college and referred to as for sustained collaboration between academia and trade to produce graduates able to assembly the calls for of the trendy financial system.
