The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has described any education that is not functional and impactful on the society as a waste.
This was even as the former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, stated that all hands must be on deck to discourage the disparity between Polytechnic and University education in Nigeria.
Aregbesola and Kwankwaso spoke at the second education summit of Igbajo Polytechnic, with the theme: “Though the Roots of Education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.”
It was held at the permanent site of the school in Igbajo, Osun State.
Aregbesola stated that Osun State in realisation that education must be functional, is embarking on restructuring of all its educational establishments.
He defined education as a process of preparing citizens for a civilised life in the society, admonishing the students of the polytechnic to take a queue from education that will prepare them for the society.
Aregbesola commended the American system of education, which he said does not promote dichotomy with the admission that every human being can study up to Masters degree level according to their capacity.
According to him: “What we have in Nigeria is lack of incorporated learning, the feeling of inferiority that some people place on the Polytechnic education will not arise if we see education as a process of preparing citizens for a civilised society.
“In Osun, we are doing something that is very interesting. We are restructuring the polytechnics and our colleges of education to be functional and impactful on Osun.
“Any education that does not have positive impact on the society is a waste. Education must be functional and impactful for it to make meaning.”
In his remarks, Kwankwaso stated that at this point of change that Nigerians have in the country, technical education must be promoted for the development of technology in Nigeria.
He noted that all and sundry must change their attitudes on technical education, saying perception is the first step towards the widening gap that has been created through the disparity among the two levels of higher learning.
Kwankwaso added that what should be paramount at this stage of the country is how institutions of higher learning will be turning out graduates that will be able to earn descent living and contribution to the society at large.
He commended the Igbajo community for initiating the Polytechnic, stressing that his love for the town is immeasurable.
The former governor said: “I am very proud of this town because this town Igbajo produced a son who has been useful to me and my family in person of Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).
“He is with us to protect us against our enemies in court.
“He is our General in the field of law in the country and especially in Kano.
“I want to also state here that I am a product of technical education.
“Not only that I attended the Polytechnic, I attended technical college and craft school.
“We need to do some attitudinal change because we are different people.
“So many people have succeeded without the two institutions of higher learning.
“What is important is to make good contributions to humanity and earn living.
“I know several presidents who have not gone to the university and they have contributed their quotas to the development of their countries and the world.”
Speaking earlier, the theme Speaker and Registrar of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, noted that without technical education, there will be no technology.
The JAMB boss added that polytechnic education must be encouraged because the country needs new knowledge and technology for it to become one of the major players in global economy.
Ojerinde decried the decline in the number of applications to polytechnics, noting that technical education will in a long way develop Nigeria’s long desired development in technology.
Prof. Ojerinde commended Aregbesola and Kwankwaso for their contributions to the development of JAMB Computer Based Test for students.
He said JAMB got a lot of encouragement from Kano and Osun States.
He said: “We cannot continue to do some certain things in the same way and get good results.
“We must change.
“We have abundance of resources to convert to have whatever product that we desire.
“That is why JAMB introduced the unified tertiary matriculation examination, which is part of the road map for education sector.
“Technical education is the answer.
“The CBT introduced by JAMB is a way to develop us.
“If we want to be like other countries we have to be up and doing.”
Also, the Rector of the Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Engineer Oluyemi Oke, called for the funding of technical education and personnel in the polytechnic encouraged as their counterpart in the universities.
Oke stated that the country needed to develop and make sure that polytechnics stand out and their facilities not over stretched.
He said: “The gap between universities and Polytechnic are widening everyday.
“I want to advocate that weather you attend the university or polytechnic, you still can get to where those who attend the university can get to.
“I advocate for a Bachelor of Technology.
“Unless we review what we have in the polytechnic, that gap will continue to widened.
“The argument between the polytechnic and university can be addressed by consolidating on the polytechnic.
“We need both to develop as we want.
“The future belongs to the polytechnic if our quest for development is to be realised.”
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