Technical education, key to national development

• As new monotechnic resumes academic activities in Lagos

Proprietor, Oak Business School (Monotechnic), Dr. Lance Musa Elakama, has said that a sound technical education is required for national development.

Elakama, a former Deputy Director-General, Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), lamented that the nation’s education system is too theoretical and,thus, should be modified to make it more practical.

While harping on human capital development, the proprietor noted that to build capacity of the country, youths must be properly trained.

“Our students are also trained in various vocational skills to make them versatile, employers of labour and self-reliant after their course, which had been made possible through our entrepreneurship centre. Our aim is to take Nigeria, and up-coming generations to the next level,” he assured.

He said currently, the nation’s education system is too academic, preparing graduates only for jobs instead of grooming them to become employers of labour.

To address the trend, Elakama said he decided to invest in technical education to prepare youths as entrepreneurs.
Already licensed by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and accredited by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the Oak Business School is set to commence academic activities for the 2021/2022 academic session in January.

The school has secured accreditation in five courses, namely Marketing, Accountancy, Business Administration, Banking and Finance as well as Computer Science.

The former NSE boss who harped on qualitative education said prospective students would be registered for professional examinations once they are admitted.

Apart from a conducive environment, Elakama said the school is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, including modern laboratory, ICT, e-library, air-conditioned lecture rooms with highly qualified lecturers and hostel facilities to make teaching and learning interesting.

He also assured that adequate security measures have been put in place to safeguard lives and ward off intruders.
Elakama said: “We have competent and qualified lecturers on ground, we want to give our students practical exposure, opening them up to our businesses and software during internships. We want to groom them as entrepreneurs.”

He said the school, which has its main campus at Isheri-North on Lagos-Ibadan expressway, would commence academic activities on January 17 at its temporary campus in Ogba, Lagos.

One of the lecturers, Ogbonnna Young, said the school will run both full time and part-time and assured of uninterrupted academic session.