Why govt should review learning process in tertiary institutions

The Rector of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Prof. Oludele Itiola, has urged the Federal Government to tailor the educational development of youth towards the challenges facing the country’s economy in order for them to think out of the box.

Speaking at the 14th convocation ceremony of the institution, Itiola insisted that the country’s tertiary education needed to review its total learning process so as to produce graduates that are entrepreneurially inclined.

This, he said, “Will help in bringing our economy out of the woods. With our recent experience in the oil market, all hands must now be on deck to redirect our intellectual development towards the diversification of the economy into other sectors with potentials and for which we have comparative advantage in order to keep up our pace and place in the world market.

“Our ability to succeed as a nation in the new global economy will depend, to a very significant extent, on the dynamism and vitality of our learning process. Gone are the days when mono-import economy can survive the vagaries of the world economy. Our institutions of higher learning will have to review their total learning experience so as to nurture graduates with a willingness to think innovatively and to explore paths that have not been tried before”.

The don was of the view that if Nigeria must survive the economic crunch, government must focus on reviving the agricultural sector with a view to encouraging local industries to thrive instead of the “mono-export and import-oriented economy the country is running now”.

He stated that the institution would soon establish a School of Agricultural Technology, saying, “This will not only break a new ground but also offer the institution an opportunity to launch our graduates into a sector that has long been seemingly neglected but that promises to bring our economy out of the woods”.

Itiola said the polytechnic was collaborating with two foreign institutions for internship and graduate exchange programmes aimed at making MAPOLY a world class learning institution.

Graduates who studied various courses in the institution between 2009 and 2015 were awarded Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates at the colourful ceremony.

Moderator of the polytechnic, Amosun promised that his government would continue to make qualitative and affordable education his number one priority. He also stated that plans were on-going to make the institution a degree-awarding institution. The governor lauded the efforts of the school’s Governing Council for managing the school with its Internally Generated revenue (IGR) with little government subventions.

He said, “Mapoly is the best higher institution in Ogun State. They are self-sustained and doesn’t wait for government’s subvention. I have never seen an institution that has managed its resources like MAPOLY. People said we are doing well but all those things I have done and will continue to do are as a result of my foundation which is this school, Ogun polytechnic (now MAPOLY)”.

Amosun, an alumni of the institution, however, promised to build two hostels in the name of his late parents to ease the problem of accommodation students face.