THE need for Nigerian Polytechnics to fulfill their core objective has been
brought to the fore, as
the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, tasked
polytechnics to live up to expectations on technical and vocational education.
Speaking during the 31st convocation
ceremony of Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH, Lagos, he said: “Technical
and Vocational Education is the bedrock of any nation. It plays a key role in
economic empowerment of a nation.”
According to him, polytechnics have
to live up to their mandates and be responsive to the challenges of
nation-building particularly at a time when the country is coming out of
economic recession. The minister who was represented by the Director of
Tertiary Education, Dr. Ojo Samuel, maintained that educational institutions
must embrace the research culture, adding that technological innovation must
originate from the ivory tower.
He disclosed that government on its
part has put in place structures to support technological innovation through
grants and interventions from institutions like Tertiary Education Trust Fund,
Petroleum Technology Development fund and others. Numerous research grants He
charged researchers in tertiary institutions to endeavour to avail themselves
of the numerous research grants, fellowships and other such opportunities from
Foundations and Agencies around the world. He reiterated that undertaking such
research and innovation initiatives would contribute to knowledge and promote
economic and technological development.
Adamu, however, explained that before
such goal could be met, synergy must exist between the industry and the
academia on one hand, and collaboration between academic institutions and
agencies on the other hand. He pointed out that agencies like the National
Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) is important so the
locally generated technologies like students projects can be promoted. He
said,“The nation is in dire need of technological development which must
originate from the academic institutions.
It will be recalled that a few years
ago, students of a Nigerian university built a vehicle that participated
successfully in Shell Eco-Marathon in the Netherlands. This is evidence that
our academic institutions have the capacity, through research and innovation to
solve our developmental problems. How have we leveraged on this to move on to
the next level? “Academic institutions should be at the forefront of
fabricating the tools and implements required in industries through innovation
and a process of adaptation and domestication of technology. In this regard,
academic institutions should proactively access the equipment fabrication
intervention of TETFund.
This is an area that must be
addressed seriously by managers of our higher institutions. Leading higher
institutions in the world are well noted for their contributions to development
through their research and innovation initiatives. “It is for this reason that
the present administration places high premium on technical and vocational
education. Besides, the quality of the academic programmes offered must control
progress along global trends in order for the graduates to compete effectively
and remain relevant in the world of work.” To achieve this, he continued,
“Regulating agencies must continue to monitor the programmes to ensure that
prescribed standards are met, particularly in the areas of staffing,
curriculum, library facilities and infrastructure such as classrooms,
laboratories, workshops and studios. New and relevant programmes must therefore
continue to evolve in accordance with the dynamics of a rapidly changing world.
“For education to make meaningful
impact in any nation, there must be collaboration between educational
institutions and employers of labour. This synergy is what will give direction
in the development of curricula and also enhance the teaching and learning
process. Lecturers must also live up to expectations as surrogate parents,
mentors and role models for our students.” Growth and expansion The minister,
however, lauded the management of YABATECH for its responsiveness in
introducing new programmes in the past eight years.
He tasked the institution to
consolidate, sustain and develop the programmes to form a pedestal for national
development. Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman of Council, YABATECH,
Prince Lateefat Fagbemi (SAN) said that while it was evident that YABATECH has
witnessed tremendous growth and expansion in recent times, it was not yet
uhuru. He said, “We still have a long way to go in delivering an instruction of
world reckoning that can stand toe-to-toe with its global peers.” He averred
that polytechnic education is meant to provide a country with the needed
technical manpower for the advancement of technology and economic empowerment,
adding, “It is also a veritable means of solving the unemployment problem that
has long plagued our country.”
Meanwhile, the Rector, YABATECH, Dr.
Margaret Kudi Ladipo, in her convocation speech disclosed that the institution
graduated 9,021 in the 2015/2016 academic session. She said: “At the Higher
National Diploma full-time level, we have 64 students who graduated with
Distinction, 716 with Upper Credit, 1,145 with Lower Credit and 283 with Pass.
Also at the Higher National Diploma, part-time level, we have three students
who graduated with Distinction, 86 with Upper Credit, 192 with Lower Credit and
71 with Pass. “Moreover, at the National Diploma, full-time level, we have 102
students who graduated with Distinction, 985 with Upper Credit. 1,002 with
Lower Credit and 260 with Pass. In all, 249 earned Distinctions, 2,538 emerged
with Upper Credit, 4,330 with Lower Credit and 1,904 obtained Pass grade.”
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