Nigerian graduates are not half-baked, Prof. Ufuophu-Biri

The Rector, Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, Professor Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri, has dispelled the notion that Nigerian graduates are half-baked.

In an exclusive interview with The Guardian, the renowned Mass Communication scholar pointed out that contrary to views in some quarters, Nigerian graduates are high-flyers in Post-Graduates studies outside the shores of the country.

While urging Nigerians to positively project our graduates as obtained in other parts of the globe, Professor Ufuophu-Biri described the practice of Nigerians labelling their graduates half-baked as ‘bad Public Relations technique’.

He said the fact that Nigerian graduates do well academically outside the shores of the country and in their various disciplines within and outside Nigeria is a clear testament that they are not half-baked as erroneously claimed in some quarters.

“Like I have always said, there is nothing like Nigerian graduates being half-baked. I have gone to different countries of this world. I have interacted with Nigerian graduates across different continents. And I have also interacted with their teachers. Nigerian graduates come top class in institutions of higher learning when they go for their Post-Graduate studies outside Nigeria.

Then those who are working outside this country, they excel in their various disciplines. Those who find themselves working in Nigeria, they also excel. So the issue of Nigerian graduates being half-baked is a wrong notion. If you go to several universities in the United Kingdom and Canada, you will see a lot of our graduates who are in Post-Graduate classes doing fine.

“There is a staff of ours that we just released to the University of Greenwich in the UK. He called me back that he took first, he was number one and awarded during the orientation. They are all doing very fine.

“I haven’t heard of any country that will say her own graduates are inferior. Our graduates are good. Many of us graduated from this country. I am a graduate of this country. I have won several awards across the world,” the Professor of Mass Communication and Journalism stated.

The academic blamed the lack of tools in Nigerian higher institutions on the ‘environment’, stressing that this is not the fault of undergraduates. According to him, “The Nigerian graduate has the intellect but what he may be lacking is the tools. During instruction, tools of instruction may not be there. And that is not his own fault. A Nigerian graduate who studied Mechanical Engineering, for instance, will understand everything but the workshop may not be well-equipped compared to what is obtained in the UK university. That does not make him half-baked. The fault is not his but environmental”, he said.

On outdated curriculum in tertiary institutions, the erudite scholar said this is reviewed every five years in line with current realities.

He cited the current unbundling of Computer Science Department in polytechnics as well as Mass Communication Department in our universities and colleges of education into independent faculties to buttress his argument.