‘Effective tertiary education crucial to national advancement’

• Lagos Poly awards 657 ND, HND certificates

The need to enhance the quality of the country’s tertiary education system and reap the numerous benefits therein was the main crux of discourse at the 10th convocation ceremony of Lagos City Polytechnic (LCP).

At the ceremony, various speakers emphasised on the imperativeness of quality higher education to national and human growth, and also featured presentation of certificates and award of prizes to 271 diplomats in the National Diploma (ND) category and 386 diplomats in Higher National Diploma (HND).

Chairman of the Governing Council of the institution, Mr. Babatunde Adewale Odufuwa, an engineer, who spoke extensively at the ceremony, maintained that the capacity for countries to adopt, disseminate and maximise rapid technological and national advancement is dependent on adequate systems of tertiary education.

While presenting a paper titled ‘Enhancing the Standard of Tertiary Education in Nigeria,’ Odufuwa informed that in developed countries education is viewed as a good investment in national development owing to its capacity to produce quality and quantity of human resources required for economic growth.

He, therefore, charged government at all levels, academic bodies of various higher institutions and all stakeholders to collaborate and seek feasible means of urgently transforming the country’s tertiary education system.

According to him, “Knowledge and advance skills are critical determinants of a country’s economic growth and standard of living as learning outcomes are transformed into goods and services, greater institutional capacity, more effective public sector, stronger civil society and a better investment climate.

“Good quality, merit-based, equitable and efficient tertiary education and research are imperative in achieving all this. Both developing and industrial countries benefit from the dynamics of the knowledge economy. And so improved and accessible tertiary education can help in achieving development goals particularly those related to all levels of education, health and gender equality.”

Odufuwa who is also the proprietor of the instituion, further called for a synergy between the academics and business community, especially with regards to relevance of educational curriculum to the needs of investors.

He said, “Our dons should, therefore, carefully evaluate their work ethics and intellectual output and determine just how adequate these are for the educational aspirations of the country. Universities’ administrators should insist on steadfast pursuit of research and everything else that adds to academic excellence.

“Teaching methodologies and systems’ evaluation need to be improved to enhance day-to-day tasks and overall improvement. Academic misfits and sex predators should be eased out of the system”.

To the graduands, Odufuwa advised, “I implore you to be law-abiding and be good ambassadors of LCP in particular and the country in general. You may wish to note that you are the pivot upon which the hope of this great nation revolves. You should therefore, be focused”.

A graduate of Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Odede Gabriel Uguazoraro emerged the overall best student of the institution with 3.89 Cummulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).