Tajudeen Balogun
For Nigeria’s tertiary education sector to be developed and upgraded to global standard, there is a need for stakeholders to conduct urgent and total overhaul as well as launch adequate and sustainable funding.
The annual conference of The Companion provided the platform for the stakeholders to reach this conclusion.
The stakeholders spoke during the public lecture at the annual conference of the Lagos District of the association of Muslim men in business and the professions.
Prof. Khalid Adekoya of the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Lagos, Akoka while speaking on the conference topic: “Rethinking tertiary education standard in Nigeria,” with the theme: “Education For Sustainable Development,” stressed that there was the need for a more comprehensive, coherent and interconnected tertiary education sector, the type that will respond to challenges facing students and the society, rather than the moribund model.
Speaking on the way forward, the Professor of Cell Biology and Genetics called on the government to prioritise infrastructural development such as laboratories, classrooms, libraries, hostels and other relevant facilities.
Similarly, the scholar urged Federal and States Governments to increase the funding of higher education in the country, emphasising that more funds should be allocated to research programmes in all higher institutions in the country.
In the same vein, Prof. Adekoya advocated that the funding should be focused on research and promoting collaboration between academia, industry and government.
While urging the government to create an enabling academic environment by appointing qualified individuals to head various tertiary institutions, Adekoya said for the country to check the raging “Japa” (exit of academic staff) syndrome, the government should enhance the quality of education and encourage research to retain skilled individuals.
He called for an amendment to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, especially with respect to allocation and financing educational materials.
Speaking further on the roles of stakeholders, Prof. Adekoya urged universities to be involved in creation, absorption and impacting of knowledge via technology research.
While recalling that the establishment of the latest generation of universities, especially from 1991 till date, were politically motivated, the guest speaker called on the country’s citadel to have vested interest in establishing endowment funds and regularly review their curricula to suit global best practices.
He tasked corporate organisations to create opportunities for students and staff as well as play a frontal role in blending learning methods via technology.
Other ways the sector can influence capital development include corporate presentations, career mentorship programmes and industrial academic partnership, he said.
He urged students to prepare and turn a new leaf towards learning, while parents and guardians should monitor their wards and train them against the negative influence of peer pressure.
The Lagos District Amir, Alhaji Abd’Kabir Olayiwola Baruwa, in his welcome address pointed out that a dispassionate assessment of the learning environment of “our higher institutions will reveal an acute shortage of critical infrastructure necessary for optimal learning, overcrowded classrooms and lecture theatres, poor accessibility to broadband and internet facilities, appalling state of dormitories and hostel facilities, ill-equipped laboratories for science and engineering courses, incessant strikes by lecturers with attendant disruption of academic calendars etc”, lamenting that the challenges have affected the quality and depth of knowledge as well as skills of graduates produced by the country’s tertiary institutions.
“Another major issue that we need to interrogate is our fixation on acquisition of degrees and certificates rather than skills that will enable our graduates to compete in the emerging global economy where emphasis is now placed on Generative Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain technology, Robotics Engineering, Nano and Bio technologies as well as Big Data. We need a paradigm shift from a degree-focused education system to a system that prioritises practical skills and competences. A renewed focus on skill-based education systems will enhance the employability and competitiveness of our graduates at the global stage. In the dynamic workplace of today, possession of the right skill-sets is essential for adaptability, innovativeness, resilience, development and sustainability of an agile workforce.”
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Baruwa advised that in rethinking the strategy to reposition Nigeria’s higher institutions, “more funding should be made available from the budgetary system”, while it is imperative for higher institutions to “attract funding from the private sector through endowments and Professorial Chairs”.
He added: “Our universities should be recalibrated to become a global centre of academic research and innovation with breakthrough patents that the private sector will adopt on a commercial scale.
“This will ultimately lead to attracting more funds into Research and Development initiatives of our higher institutions.”
On the reenactment of Isese rites, especially in the South West states, Alhaji Baruwa noted that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the freedom of religion in the country.
He also said Islam frowns at compulsion of religion, adding: “It is worrisome that the Isese religion practitioners often made public proclamations restricting movement of people in the observation of their religious rites.
“In some affected communities women are not allowed to step out of their houses for several days, while the male folks are restricted from going out within some hours of the day.
“Such curfews are not only obnoxious but flagrantly contravene the nation’s Constitution that guarantees free movement of people.
“Our recent history is replete with incidents of violent attacks on innocents citizens such as the widely reported case of Sheikh Sufwan Akodo that was brutally hacked down in 2007 by seven (7) members of Awo Cultists at Epe, and just last year in 2022 a violent clash ensued at Agege when Oro worshippers clashed with some church members who were on night vigil leading to the death of one person, while several others sustained serious injuries.”
The Amir called on the Lagos State Government to rise up to her constitutional duty of protecting the right of citizens in her domain by ensuring that the ongoing “aberration is nipped in the bud before it degenerates into religious crisis that might threaten the safety and peaceful co-existence of the citizens and residents of the state”.
Baruwa also enjoined the Lagos State House of Assembly to enact laws and statutes that will proscribe all such “anachronistic practices associated with restriction of movements during the festivals of Isese religion”, adding that this would be in line with their constitutional responsibility of making laws for the well being of residents in the state.
He called on Muslims to show more interest in participating in active politics, noting that the trajectory of politics and politicking in the South West region demands active engagement of Muslim professionals in the political space as recent developments have revealed that “we are most likely to be marginalised if we remain apolitical and dis-interested in the governance structure be it at the Executive or Legislative elective level”.
The National Amir of The Companion, Engr. Kamil Olalekan, in his goodwill message lamented that the country’s tertiary institutions, which are meant to be the crucibles of knowledge, innovation and societal transformation, have faced numerous challenges that have hindered their ability to deliver on their thrusts.
Olalekan noted that issues such as inadequate funding, outdated curricula, infrastructural deficiencies and a lack of quality assurance mechanisms have plagued “our universities, polytechnics and collegial system over the years”.
He said to address the challenges and truly rethink tertiary education standards in Nigeria, “we must collectively take a multi-pronged approach”, including funding and investment, curriculum reforms, quality assurance, infrastructural development and partnerships.
The conference’s public lecture, which was presided over by a former National Amir of the group, Alhaji Thabit Wale Sonaike, was graced by leaders of the organisation such as: the current National Naibul Amir, Imam Nojeem Jimoh; former National Amir, Alhaji Musibau Oyefeso; Chairman, The Companion Board of Trustees, Alhaji Waliyu Onibon; foremost member of the group, Alhaji Alli Oluwafuyi; Dr. Mumin Alao; and the immediate past Amir of The Companion, Lagos District, Alhaji Abdul Ganiy Abdul Majeed.
Also in attendance were The Criterion Lagos District members ably led by its Amira, Alhaja Mariam Muse-Saba; the Tutor-General/Permanent Secretary, Lagos Education District VI, Dr. Shareefah Yusuf; Prof. Jamilah Yaqub of the Lagos State University; members of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria; and Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta Muslim Alumni members among others.