Tertiary institutions’ curriculum must be reviewed with emphasis on employability skills – Don
Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan (UI), Prof. Olufemi Bamiro has tasked the Federal Government and universities to review tertiary institutions curriculum with specific emphasis on employable skills for graduates.
He said that most Nigerian and African graduates do not have specific skills required for the job market, adding ‘’the situation has resulted to a larger portion of unemployed youths nationwide since they lack relevant market skills.’’
Prof Bamiro disclosed this while delivering the 6th convocation lecture of McPherson University, Seriki Sotayo, Ogun State, in which 13 bagged First Class out of 86 graduates.
The lecture titled: “Transforming the Nigerian University System for Graduate Employability and Sustainable Social Economic Development.”
READ ALSO: Nigerian Tertiary institutions’ curriculum does not align with industrial needs – Employers’ association DG
He advised students presently pursuing various degree programmes in Nigerian universities to learn and maximize the opportunity of entrepreneurship skills available to start their own business.
“Youths unemployment is worrisome and needs to be addressed by relevant stakeholders, because if we don’t tackle unemployment siege, the youths will still talk, if their demands are not met, citing the #EndSars revolution of the youths, in 2020.
“Moreso, in developed countries, statistics now show the population of youths being groomed to take over the business world, as they are equipped with relevant skills for the job market.
Bamiro urged the government and universities to respond by partnering with professionals in the business world to educate students on possessing job enabling skills.
He cited the British Council that was able to solve the problem of graduates unemployment by working with professionals and institutions after identifying the challenge; they ensured students acquired employability skills as well as academic excellence.
Bamiro, however, expressed regrets over the decline in the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), where graduates do not have enabling skills to dominate the business world, thereby increasing the number of unemployed youths in the nation.
He encouraged institutions to emulate the method employed by the British council and provide students with a curriculum relevant to future jobs. The former VC charged lecturers to be interactive during lectures and seek opinions about the lectures from students.
He encouraged them to make their lectures more Interactive and bring in facilitators from the industry to impact knowledge because the students have to be job-ready.
He said successive governments failed to take education seriously and stressed the need to invest in the sector as well as introduce policies that can aid learning.
He said McPherson University has an existing centre for entrepreneurship that will ensure students are exposed to state-of-the-art skills.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of McU, Prof Adeniyi Agunbiade said since the last convocation, there was an increase in enrolment and graduation, especially in the College of Natural and Applied Sciences.
Agunbiade commended the graduating students for their academic success, stating that they are market-ready and have all the relevant skills needed in the job market.
Also, the General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church, Rev. Sam Aboyeji charged the graduating students not to forget the role played by their parents.
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