Varsity makes entrepreneurial studies compulsory to promote self-reliance

The vice chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja (FUL) Prof Angela Miri announced plans by the institution to promote entrepreneurial studies to make its students self reliant.

Speaking against the backdrop of increased unemployment in the society, the vice chancellor said the new addition would go a long way in bridging the gap by equipping its graduates with relevant skills.

Prof Miri who disclosed this at a press briefing ahead of the university’s 2nd convocation ceremony lamented that Nigerian universities yearly churn out graduates who roam the labour market searching for non existing jobs.

“It is worrisome that we churn out graduates year in year out and they don’t have means of livelihood. FUL has come up with the directorate of entrepreneurship and that is to tell you that universities are becoming more and more aware of the need to train graduates that would be self sufficient and self reliant so that they do not graduate depending on white collar jobs that are not there. ”

Miri cited unemployment as the bane of the major challenges confronting the nation, particularly in the areas of kidnapping and restiveness.

“We are not unmindful of that fact so our curriculum is geared towards empowering these students to be useful to themselves and the society.
She added that the university has come up with a new initiative tagged, ‘Everyone has got talents’ where students are exposed to a number of things that they can engage in.

“I think this is obtainable in all campuses across the country as the National Universities Commission (NUC) has made entrepreneurship one of the compulsory courses to prepare students for future challenges.