Kunle ADELABU
The Chairman, United Bank for Africa Group and the Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mr Tony Onyemaechi Elumelu, CON, has advocated for the revamping of the Nigerian and other African countries’ educational sector in a bid to make it focus more on the socio-economic challenges of their respective immediate environment.
To do this, Mr Elemelu, who was the guest speaker at the public lecture to commemorate the 40 years anniversary of the existence of the Lagos State Polytechnic, stated that there is urgent need to place more emphasis on vocational and technological education, which according to him, is the powerful engine for sustainable growth.
The lecture was held at the 500 Seater Auditorium of the School of Agriculture, Lagos State Polytechnic Main Campus in Ikorodu on Wednesday, November 21, 2018.
Royal fathers, government functionaries, captains of industry, academia and students were among the crowd of the audience that filled the lecture hall to its capacity while many others had to stand throughout while the lecture lasted due to lack of sitting space.
Mr Elumelu was represented by Mr Ayoku Liadi, the Executive Director, United Bank for Africa (UBA) PLC.
In the lecture, Mr Elumelu stated that technical and technological education is what makes advanced countries relevant while others like Nigeria and other African countries are yet to catch up.
“Education, particularly vocational and technical education, is the powerful engine for sustainable economic development, relevance and globalization”, he stated.
“Every nation of the world had long realized this but not many have come to term with how to use this engine effectively and efficiently to achieve the prescribed objective. This is the main reason why some nations appear developed and many others remain underdeveloped.
“African countries would do well to follow the approach of East Asian developmental States and industrial countries toward technical and vocational education”, Elumelu advised.
He cited the examples of some European and Asian countries that have achieved technical and technological know-how.
“Some examples are Germany which has a dual vocational education and training system that provides artisan training and apprenticeship, or on the job training at the same time, South Korea that established vocational training center, practical training initiative, vocational high school, industrial high school and science technology education, Singapore that has successfully introduced lifelong ,future-oriented and new technology-focused continuous vocational-technical education linked to the changing demand of the country industrialization plans.”
Commending the Nigerian government’s initiative in promoting technical and technologically inclined education, he added that there is still lots to be done if the country would attain its desired height in the world of technologically advanced nations and positively impact on the socio-economic life of its citizenry.
“This year, the federal government of Nigerian has already demonstrated the reawakening of the importance of technical education by converting a number of polytechnics to campuses of nearby universities for the award of B.Tech degrees.
“However, there is still a lot of work to be done. Nigerian politicians and policy makers will do the nation a great favour if the quest for sound technological education is entrenched in electioneering campaigns and consequently to be adjudged as one of the dividends of the nation democracy.
“Investment in vocational and technical education and skill training must be accorded priority attention since no country can favorably compete in the emerging global market place with poorly and unskilled labor.
Elumelu, therefore, charged lawmakers and other stakeholders to evolve policies that would aid more responsive technological advancement,
“The Nigeria lawmakers, stakeholders in the education sector need to learn from the international experience as we struggle to establish a more responsive Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) system as to meet ever-evolving demands of Nigerians towards our technological development”, he charged.
While congratulating LASPOTECH at 40, the foremost banker and philanthropist also commended the institution for promoting technical and vocational training.
“Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) has a significant place in our nation’s history, being the foremost polytechnic in the south western region of the country and promoting technical and vocational education and training, technology transfer and skills development to enhance the socio-economic development of the country and improve the quality of life.
“LASPOTECH, the Polytechnic of excellence and one of the leading technical and vocational education institutions in Nigeria, is 40 years today. However, in view of technological advancement, as per the Fourth Industrial Revolution, Technical and Vocational education in Nigeria needs to be repositioned.
“Today, we hear about the world of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Internet of things, exploration of the moon by the Chinese and Europeans, exploration of Mars and the sun, and several other technological growths”.
Speaking earlier, the Rector of the institution, Mr Samuel Sogunro, stated that the topic was apt going by the worrisome socio-economic challenges being faced by Nigeria.
“The deteriorating situation of livelihood in Africa, especially Nigeria, is worrisome. Africa remains the only continent where hunger and poverty remain the greatest tragedy.
“Evidence suggests that 80% of Africans live on a daily income of less than US$ 2 with half of this percentage struggling to survive on US$1 a day or less. More than 200million Africans now suffer from malnutrition.
“The issue of food security in Nigeria has become highly precarious and counter-productive. A significant percentage of the Nigeria population is threatened by the unpleasant taste of poverty.
He, therefore, called for the change of educational Curriculum in the country to move along with the technological knowhow trend in order to aid socio-economic development.
“It is no more news so to say that the Nigerian education system needs to move along with the fast development of Technology in the world in order to be able to feed the growing population of the country.
“It is against this backdrop that all hands must be on deck to reposition education for Technical Development and Food Security”m Mr Sogunro stated.
“It will amount to repeating the obvious to state that technological development had sustained Food Security in the developed world. The import of this statement is to invite Africans to allow Technology-driven education for development and food security.
While stating the Polytechnic’s efforts in providing food and advancing technological development, the Rector stated that the Academic Board of the school has approved the commencement of a general Agriculture course for all students.
He also announced that the institution has acquired two hectares of land on Agbowa Water-space for research in the area of agriculture.
While also stating that the institution is making effort to develop other areas of agriculture like Poultry farming, Goat rearing and Snail rearing, he added that the school has fabricated Palm Oil Processing Plant, Multi-Purpose Juice Extractor, Multi-Purpose Threshing, Shelling and Cleaning machine, Plate machine, Robotic hand and Water-Level Controller to ensure food security.
Mr Sogunro equally mentioned Fuel-less Electric Power Generator Set (250kw), Biogas Energy System and Automatic Car Jack as the three research works and inventions that the Polytechnic has obtained patent rights for.
The representative of the State Government at the event, Mr Samsideen Allison, in his short remarks, congratulated LASPOTECH for its achievements in 40 years, stating that the performances of its products in various fields of the Nigerian economy are very evident.
He also listed some of the efforts by the state government to ensure food security.
“As a concerned and responsive government, our responsibility is to provide adequate food for the citizenry and that is why we have put up a deliberate strategic plan by partnering with Kebbi State in the creation of Lake rice and creation of farm estate in Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the efforts towards acquiring lands in Ogun, Osun States and the Federal Capital Territory to boost the state’s agricultural production and give more access to our farmers are aimed at ensuring food security in the state.”
The curtain was drawn on n the event with presentations of gifts to the guest lecturer and his representative and group photograph sessions respectively.
