Attempt at industrialization of Nigeria will continue to be an illusion if there are no technicians to drive the industrialization bid.
Raising this alarm was a former Acting Governor of Ekiti State, Adetope Ademiluyi, who delivered the 10th annual alumni lecture of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, entitled: “The Privatization and Democratisation of the Nigeria Education Sector: The Dangers Ahead?”
According to Ademiluyi, who was a former Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly: “It is time our universities of technology and polytechnics are encouraged to produce graduates in line with the concept that led to their establishment. We must have
mechanical engineering graduates, who can practically fix faulty cars. “Our agricultural universities must produce graduates, who will take artificial insemination of animals in
their strides in the regular day job. Students, who choose to go into these schools should be encouraged with incentives like grants and scholarships.”
He identified population explosion, political expediency, incessant industrial action, cultism, nonchalance of students and teachers, class distinction between the rich and the poor, forceful acquisition of missionary schools by the government and gradual phasing out of teachers training colleges as the bane of formal education in the country.
Explaining that he sees no reason why private schools would not want to part with the billions they get as fees from pupils, he noted: “It is unimaginable that the private schools do not pay tax.
“This is an oddity given the billions of naira they make as profit from this business.
“They barely pay charges and ancillary fees imposed by states and or local governments.”
Ademiluyi, however, advocated that such taxes be localised for the infrastructural development of the public schools and the locality which the schools are sited.
He recommended that “the parent of the children in private schools be made to pay a special levy on each child in the school, which will be a percentage of the school fees of their children”.
Earlier in his speech, the Association’s National President, Babajide Bewaji, said construction work on the proposed alumni civic centre is ongoing.
Bewaji promised that “members of the association would collectively proffer attainable solutions to problems affecting students and fellow alumni members alike as we fight the scourge of unemployment with creative innovations.
“Nigeria at the moment is at a crossroad with identifiable ditches of insurgency and internal terrorism, deflating economy, massive corruption in low and high places, deficit infrastructures, leadership cluelessness in strategic sectors, cybercrime outbreak, brain drain just to mention a few.
“Sincerely, as an incurable optimist and firm believer in God of possibilities, I am very hopeful that we are due for greatness.
“Though very disturbing that at 55 years of post-independence our education sector remains a crawler.
“Our concern is stem out of curiosity in the recently released scorecard when none of our over 100 publicly and privately owned universities is rated among the best 500 in the world.”
The institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin, commended members of the association for making the school proud in all their undertakings, noting: “No school can do without its alumni association.
“They help the school in no greater way and that is why we will not stop at anything to support their initiative.”
The Chairman on the occasion, Prof. Olubunmi Omotesho, who is the Dean of Students’ Affairs at the University of Ilorin, also lauded the alumni’s initiative, adding that he was proud of them.
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