Mary Nnah
The need to restructure the educational curriculum to respond to community needs in order to churn out job creators to aid development, was recently brought to the fore again.
The Chairman Governing Council of the institution, Prof. Johnson Odesola, made this disclosure at Redeemer’s College of Technology and Management, (RECTEM)
matriculation held on its campus at the Redemption Camp, along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State last weekend.
Lamenting that western education has made Nigerian graduates servants rather than entrepreneurs, he further posited that graduates are trained to be job seekers, with a view of working under someone rather than developing innovative means to be job creators.
He said that the decline in education could be linked to when Nigerians threw away their thinking faculty to follow the British instructions of being servant – job seekers, without having the idea of becoming job creators.
“Nigeria graduates prefers to be civil servant, rather than innovator who could use their knowledge solve problems.
They are trained to respond to British need instead of societal needs.
“The education they got made them seek employment and Nigerian graduates abandoned the various entrepreneurial trade that existed before their emergence of the British who hired Nigerians according to their domestic needs.
“It is time for Nigerians to restructure the educational curriculum to respond to community needs so we can have job creators to aid development.
“Students should be trained to be job creators rather than job seekers that is why technical and vocational training is essential for our tertiary institution. The students need to have a skill, or trade outside academic qualifications.”
On RECTEM, he said the institution saw the challenge and decided to impart knowledge in the field of science, and technology as part of its plan to step up technological development in the country, with desire to produce job creators and build human capacity development.
“This polytechnic goal is to provide middle level technical and vocational programmes and produce highly competent graduates who would create job opportunities instead of job seekers.
“The institution is set to provide leadership in technological revolution in Africa by advancing the frontier of practical knowledge and education in the field of science, technology, management and other areas of study that will best serve the nation and the world at large.”
In her remarks, the Rector of the college Dr. Stella Mofunnaya, while congratulating the students, urged them to work hard given that they have unfettered access to all the privileges of the institution.
She said: “This would grant them the opportunity to reach greater heights, but the choice of what you want to be lies on you and watch the company you keep and avoid evil communications.”
Mofunnaya subsequently enjoined the students as well as their parents to continue to support the vision of the great institution.
She said the institution’s vision is having the highest standard of highly trained technicians /technologists that will support the nation’s engineering infrastructural development, as well as the growth and development of the country’s small and medium enterprises.
She reminded them of the burden of expectations resting on their shoulders from their parents, their communities, and the nation at large.
“Our country, at present, no doubt is in dire need of thorough-bred graduates in learning and in moral to help checkmate the moral decadence in the society and this is what this institution stands for.
“Here in this institution is where you have the academic at the best level with sound tutelage in godliness to balance your life in readiness for the future challenges.
“The country is expecting you to acquire skills and knowledge with which you will be able to contribute your quota to the task of nation-building. Also, to probably find some answers to one or several of the challenges bedevilling our political, social and economic spaces,” she said.
National Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Joseph Obayemi, saluted the courage and the vision of Pastor Enoch Adeboye in establishing the college. He lauded the cleric for his wisdom over the institution, adding that wisdom is very important in leading any organisation.
While commending the rector for making the vision come true, Obayemi enjoined him alongside other members of staff to be focused, saying they must have a vision to lift the college and make it the best.
