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The Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin has called for a review of the education curriculum in favour of technical and entrepreneurial skills so as to address the high rate of unemployment bedeviling the country.
The Speaker made the call on Monday during a visit to First Technical University(Tech-U), Ibadan on Tuesday.
Ogundoyin, who expressed delight at the giant strides recorded by the institution since it commenced academic activities two years ago, stated that technical and enterpreneurial education is one of the keys to solving youth unemployment in Nigeria.
According to him, it is time for a review of the nation’s educational system at all levels to accommodate more technical and professional training in order empower the country’s youths to become job and wealth creators.
He noted that the university must carve a niche for itself as a trail blazer in the provision of functional education for technological innovation and advancement.
The Speaker praised the university for its unique achievements in the last two years and pledged the support of the State Assembly for the institution.
His words: “To be honest, there has been a lot of development put in place within the short term this university started. I am more than impressed by what I have seen on ground and the future plans of Tech-U. Being a university owned by the state, I believe this is something that we as citizens of Oyo State can be proud of.
“The uniqueness and the great strides being made by this university is credit to our people. The vision I have for the First Technical University is the same our fore fathers had for the University of Ibadan and it is for its prestige and integrity to last forever.
“We in the legislative arm will always be in support of the First Technical University in terms of favourable policy formulation, in line with the vision of Governor Seyi Makinde who has placed high priority on educational development, and as a means of communication between you and the executive. We recognize the vision as that of a unique citadel of learning where there is more emphasis on practice than theory. Ours is an administration of integrity and transparency and I am here to promise that Tech-U will remain prestigious now and in the long run.”
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Tech-U, Prof. Ayobami Salami, who welcomed the leadership of the Assembly to the university, said the present educational system in the country is dysfunctional and needs urgent recalibration.
He stated that the recent Webometric ranking of the Tech-U as the 43rd out of 252 higher institutions in Nigeria is a manifestation of its promising commitment to changing the narrative of the Nigerian education landscape.
Salami maintained that it is the vision of the university to become Nigeria’s first self-sustaining university, adding that aside from their regular academic programmes, Tech-U students are mandated to acquire technical, vocational and entrepreneurship skills.