Chairman of United Nigeria Airlines, UNA, Professor Obiora Okonkwo, has called on the Federal Government to overhaul Nigeria’s university education system to prioritise practical skills, innovation and the development of human capital. This he says will be capable of addressing the country’s economic and industrial challenges.
Professor Okonkwo said Nigeria’s educational system must move beyond the award of academic certificates to producing graduates equipped with the knowledge, technical competence and entrepreneurial capacity required to drive national development.
He made the call while delivering the 14th convocation lecture of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, titled “Functional Education and the Nigerian Project: Strategic Human Capital Development for National Renewal.”
In his remarks, the founder of ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, also called for a review of university curricula to ensure that graduates acquired the skills and knowledge required to function effectively after leaving school.
Babalola, who commended the convocation lecturer, said the concerns raised about the relevance of university education required urgent attention from the Federal Government.
He argued that universities must prepare students for the realities of the future rather than rely solely on conventional academic training.
Babalola also called for stronger attention to the quality of education in both public and private universities, stressing the need for institutions to produce graduates capable of creating value and contributing to economic growth.
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(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
