Nigeria must discard colonial education system to make
progress
…Advocates establishment of student loan scheme
….Lauds Covenant University’s giant strides
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara,
has advocated for a change in the system of education to focus on development
of talents, rather than training of students to be employable.
This, he added, will put an end to the practice of churning
out graduates that depend on others, instead of Nigeria depending on them
to attain much needed development and progress.
Speaking on the topic, “Leadership by Products: The Role of
Universities,” at the matriculation ceremony of Covenant University, Otta, Ogun
State, as the Guest Speaker, Hon. Dogara, argued that it is time for an
education system that will leave a mark that will force the world to make a
room for graduates of Nigerian schools.
“You can be intelligent, smart and skillful but if that is
all you have got, it’s an employer that will hire and pay you. But when you
discover, develop and release your gift, it’s the world that pays you.
Unfortunately, our education system was not designed to train students to
identify and develop their gifts but to train us to be employable. For Nigeria
and indeed Africa to make the needed progress we must discard this colonial
masters’ design of an education system that continues to churn out products
that depend on others rather than products we can depend on.
“Education is not necessarily the key to success and just like
democracy, education guarantees nothing. I say so because the Bible does not
say that a man’s education makes room for him, but that his gift does. Again,
if education were the key to success, then all professors, all Ph.D holders and
all the educated will be prosperous, stable, secure and happy. But sadly that
is not always the case because it is one’s gift that is the key to his
success,” he added.
Dogara explained further, “I should never be understood to
be saying that education is worthless. I believe in education and I know that
education is most important in personal development and advancement but the
point I am making is that we need more than education to make a mark that will
force the world to make a room for us.”
Saying universities must take the lead by empowering and
investing more in their students, he admonished Covenant University to ensure
that its fruits (products) out-competes products of other universities through
innovation, debate and encouragement of dreams and visions, even though it will
not be an easy task.
“Universities must also be centre of excellence and
innovation. The products of this matriculation must lead in innovation to
honour one of the cardinal goals of this institution which is the “birth of
path-finders, pace-setters and trail-blazers”. Without innovation no university
can compete. Thankfully, innovation has nothing to do with new things as
nothing new is being created by God. All you need to innovate is present.
Innovation has to do with arranging old things in new ways. Ideas are the key
to innovation that’s why universities must be encouraged to engage in debates
about pleasant and unpleasant issues and to question possibly all things
including those working and those not working. Any university that diminishes debate
and the spirit of free inquiry will diminish as a result.
“A great Institution is not rated by the quality of its
buildings, professors, or how conducive its learning environment is, I concede
these are ineluctable rating criteria but the most indisputable and uncontested
criteria is the quality of its products. Of what use is a first class tree if
it produces second class fruits? Incidentally it is the fruits that tell you
the quality of a tree. If you have quality fruits check the quality of the roots
of the tree it came from.”
The Speaker commended Covenant University for delivering
innovative tools, some of which have been adopted by the National Universities
Commission (NUC), adding, “Is it for nothing that First-class graduates of the
University have emerged tops in the presidential Special Scholarship scheme for
Innovation and Development (PRESSID), 2013-2015?
“In the 2015 Webometric ranking, Covenant University emerged
as overall best in Nigeria and West Africa and number 15 in Africa. Covenant
University has also remained the best Private University in Nigeria and No. 1
in Web of Repositories in Nigeria and West Africa (2013-2016).
“Covenant University has demonstrated leadership in being a
pioneer in centralising Entrepreneurship in University curriculum in this
country. This today is the cutting edge competitive factor that distinguishes
the theorist graduate from those that have skills and capacity for
self-employment and wealth creation. Yes, there is no doubt that this
University could proceed to lead in helping to correct the sad negative image
of and narratives on the Black Race in the world today. Covenant University, by
what it has accomplished so far, represents a major promise that a wholly black
built and owned Institution will finally make it to the Ivy League of world
Universities in our life time.”
He conveyed the National Assembly’s willingness to consider
request for new laws that will support and encourage the best research
endeavours that will solve the nation’s economic and social problems.
“If private universities are focused, they could overtake
the public universities as theatres of innovation and quality research, thereby
becoming more competitive, which is the correct trend in developed economies.
In this regard, the National Assembly could consider laws that will promote
productive research partnerships between private and public universities. If
this will enhance the competitive and ranking capabilities of our universities,
so be it.”
While acknowledging that studying in private universities is
expensive and may not be affordable to all those willing to be educated, Hon.
Dogara, however, called for the establishment of student loan scheme saying,
“This kind of training is not cheap anywhere in the world. I like something
about the Chinese they say good things no cheap, cheap things no good.
Governments Endeavour must be to provide students loans so that gifted kids can
access these loans with which to pay their fees,” he said.
In his remarks, Chairman, Board of Regents and Chancellor of
the University, Dr David Oyedepo, expressed gratitude to Good that 15 years
after its establishment, the university had made remarkable progress in
academics.
He told the students that the university placed priority on
moral and spiritual upbringing, advising them to adhere to the rules and
regulations of the university.
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