World FM Day: Stakeholders Advocate Holistic Curriculum Upgrade

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) Nigeria Chapter has urged government to incorporate Facility Management (FM) in to school curriculum for development purposes.

The association, which stated this at the commemoration of the World Facility Management Day 2018, recently, said it would help improve the maintenance culture that would shape the future of Nigeria’s economy and the passion for proper upkeep of the built environment.

The 2018 World Facility Management Day with the theme, ‘Enabling Positive Experiences: Inspiring the Technical Students for a Better Tomorrow’ held at the Government Technical College, Agidingbi, highlighted the importance of FM to the built environment and the economy at large.

President, IFMA Nigeria Chapter, Pius Iwundu said, “The often unexpected and disruptive influences in our global environment must be managed effectively to ensure stability and success in the sectors that rely on the results of the facility managers and their teams. This ensures that facilities meet high expectations to enhance life in the built environment, whether it is at work, rest or play.”

According to Iwundu, the public and private sectors should enable more positive experiences in the built environment or whatever people are directly impacted by FM deliverables. “We need to have passion for FM, and there is need to train and engage FM professionals to manage our built environment,” he said.

Iwundu opined that FM is a multi-disciplinary profession that ensures the functionality of built environment by integrating people, place, process and technology. “FM is the fastest growing industry in the world today and must therefore be embraced by everyone for our built environment to reach its life expectancy and serve its purpose.

“In recent years, Nigeria has gradually moved and should continue to move away from state-owned and operated facilities and services in favour of outsourcing solutions, a practice that is now attracting investment and improving the efficiency and quality of facilities and infrastructure in order to finally move away from the challenges of reliance on breakdown rather than preventive maintenance; underpricing and use of substandard construction materials and consumables; and lack of understanding in the concept of project life circle analysis and costing,” said Iwundu.

A past president of the IFMA, Stephen Jagun said technical knowledge was vital for the job of the future. “Students with technical knowhow stand a better chance of employability by creating job,” said Jagun, as he advised the students that “excellence and passion pays” in whatever they engaged in.

Belinda Odeh, Principal, Government Technical College, Agidingbi and Director of Education, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LSTVEB), in her goodwill message said the state government long recognised the importance of technical and vocational education, hence it resolve to create three more technical colleges in the state before year end.

IFMA’s core purpose is to strengthen and advance the knowledgebase essential to leading the integration and optimisation of the built environment.  Therefore, its membership is open to anyone actively engaged in the application, practice, teaching and researching of facility management, its principles and techniques.