The Vice-Chancellor of Dominion College, Ibadan, a faith-based establishment, Prof. Abel Olorunnisola, on this interview with ROTIMI AGBOLUAJE, spoke on the challenges confronting the sector, particularly tertiary training sub-sector, together with insufficient funding, proliferation of universities, and inconsistent insurance policies of authorities, emphasising the necessity to prioritise training in the direction of producing graduates which can be match and prepared for the world of labor.
There are considerations about proliferation of universities, particularly when present ones usually are not effectively funded. Even some non-public universities would not have sufficient college students to maintain issues going, but extra are being licensed. What’s your tackle this?Given the present trajectory, Nigeria goes to be the fourth largest nation on the planet within the subsequent 25 years. Proper now, we have now one of many highest youth populations. The kids being born should go to highschool, in terms of training, you don’t wait till the necessity arises earlier than you place crucial equipment in movement.
The impression one could have is that there are too many non-public universities, nonetheless, any of them that’s not adequate will ultimately crash, whereas the sturdy ones will survive.
Apart from, authorities should be sure that the sanctity of the accreditation train is maintained infrequently to measure high quality. It should not go beneath requirements. If requirements are maintained, then, there gained’t be something to fret about.
What about public universities?I imagine the federal government has no enterprise establishing extra public establishments when present ones usually are not well-funded. For example, College of Ibadan (UI) for a lot of months, has been combating electrical energy, It might probably’t even afford to pay its payments beneath the brand new Band A tariff. So, if authorities is unable to fund present universities, why arrange extra?
There isn’t any state in Nigeria that doesn’t have a federal college. Why is authorities including extra when present ones usually are not doing effectively?
Within the final two years, over 25 polytechnics and Faculties of Schooling have been transformed to universities, elevating fears over the way forward for technical training within the nation. What do you concentrate on this?By the way, I used to be a part of those that rose in opposition to it when the thought was mooted some years in the past. The engineering physique is a household which works in synergy and sequentially. To hold out any engineering challenge, you want the engineer, who will need to have bagged a primary diploma in engineering; you want technologists who’re Larger Nationwide Diploma (HND) merchandise; you want technicians who’re Nationwide Diploma (ND) holders and also you want craftsmen.
Immediately, many tasks have points as a result of there are only a few craftsmen; no technicians and there aren’t any sufficient technologists. It’s purported to be a pyramid, the place on the base, you’ve many craftsmen, adopted by technicians, technologists, and engineers.
For example, for each engineer, you want about 5 technologists, 10 technicians, and 20 craftsmen. So, if we’re producing extra graduate engineers, then, we’re turning the pyramid the wrong way up, it will probably’t stand.A pyramid that’s turned the wrong way up can’t work, and we’re already seeing the consequences of this act.
Even when individuals get their levels, they might nonetheless go and study a commerce to change into technicians or craftsmen. It’s a waste of time.
Have you ever made any submission to the federal government on this regard?Sure, we did. I used to be Chairman of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Ibadan department, between 2010 and 2020. We wrote the federal government to oppose this and why the pyramid shouldn’t be upturned.The issue in Nigeria is that we don’t respect individuals. I shouldn’t be revered due to my title or place, they need to respect me as a human being, no matter the job I do.
I used to be in the UK 21 years in the past, and so they had debates on the radio. As at the moment, the query was in regards to the proportion of the British youths that ought to really attend the college, and so they mentioned it ought to be lower than 50 per cent. It is because the economic system is run by different classes of people who find themselves not graduates.
With their first levels, what number of jobs can we provide them? However craftsmen will all the time be wanted. We all the time want shoe makers, tailors, plumbers, gardeners and different artisans. These are those that drive the economic system. Immediately, lower than 50 per cent of American and British youths attend college. However in Nigeria, we have now turned it the wrong way up, that’s the reason lots of people are jobless. Little question, they’ve the levels, however the place are the roles?
How do assume we are able to deal with the craze for certificates by Nigerians? We’re loopy for certificates and levels as a result of we like titles, dad and mom also needs to be blamed for contributing to it. Each guardian needs his or her ward to attend a college, which was not the case within the Nineteen Sixties.
Throughout tis interval, individuals would do their Metropolis and Guilds Certificates examination and change into technicians, and others. They have been happy with their jobs, and contributed to the event of the economic system and society at giant.
The buildings they constructed a few years in the past are nonetheless standing. Sadly, we have now misplaced our tracks. We must always retrace our steps, encourage vocational training, and respect individuals for who they’re, not due to what they do. The controversy on HND/B.Sc. dichotomy has refused to cease. How finest do you assume this may be tackled? It shouldn’t be a difficulty, however we have now made it one. The 2 programmes usually are not the identical. Ranging from admission necessities, focus, educational rigour, and curriculum, they aren’t the identical.
The primary error is to imagine they’re at par. They don’t seem to be. However every one has a singular contribution to make and ought to be handled with respect and dignity.Larger Nationwide Diploma (HND) graduates have their relevance, and no one else can take their positions. They’ll aspire to maneuver from one degree to a different degree and ought to be given the wanted respect.
The Federal Authorities just lately mooted the thought of altering the present system of 6-3-3-4 to 12-3-4. What do you make of this proposal? We’re simply losing our time with this. Did we implement the 6-3-3-4 in response to the plan? The reply isn’t any. The unique concept behind the 6- 3-3-4 is for somebody to spend six years in main college, then the three years of junior secondary college is to assist assess whether or not she or he is sweet academically to proceed to college or pursue technical commerce. Up until date, are amenities supplied for vocational coaching the place these individuals that might exit after three years in secondary college are purported to go? We by no means did it.
I can recollect that the primary set of the 6-3-3-4 system graduated in 1990. On the take-off of the initiative, they introduced lots of technical tools to colleges the place there have been no workshops. So, quite a lot of these issues have been left outdoors, stolen, whereas some rot away. That was the top of it.
So, we didn’t totally implement the 6-3-3-4 system. Why are we now speaking in regards to the new system? We have now quite a lot of very good insurance policies on paper, however implementation is our downside. So, if we implement the 6-3-3-4 system effectively, there isn’t a level introducing one other one.
How has it been working a faith-based college like Dominion? It has been attention-grabbing and difficult, as a result of it’s a brand new college and there are all types of pioneering challenges. The college is simply six years previous, and I got here on board nearly 4 years now. The college was a bit of over one 12 months once I got here in. There are challenges, however our Chancellor, Bishop Taiwo Adelakun is dedicated to the challenge and has been our assist system. He ensured that the college began easily, it’s the dedication from all sides – spiritually, financially, and morally.
