We rank below a thousand, if we do not aspire to be among the
world class universities, we cannot boast of a robust system capable of making
the country among the top economies of the world. We have an abundance of
talent who excel elsewhere but appear incapacitated at home. This is
unacceptable.”
This was a part of President Buhari’s speech which was
delivered by Professor Julius Okojie,(the Executive Secretary, National
Universities Commission) at the convocation ceremony of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
University, Bauchi on Saturday. The president was lamenting the poor state of
the university system in Nigeria, and placing part of the blame on the
incessant strikes by the university lecturers. “The repercussions of a strike
usually retard the smooth running of academic activities with heavy negative consequences,”
Okojie said.
Strikes may very well be one of the reasons why a lot of
people travel outside of the country to get an education, however, it is not
the only reason. If the president and other stakeholders in the educational
sector truly want to revamp Nigerian universities in order to get it up to
world class standard, here are some suggestions:
Staff
Employing lecturers that are experts in their field of
specialization is really crucial to the dissemination of knowledge to students.
Learners and students can only benefit if their lecturers have the right
skills. Employment in universities should strictly be based on the right
qualifications rather than the ‘man-know-man’ method.
Research and innovation
One of the hallmarks of an outstanding university is
research, which is ultimately the mother of innovation. A research-intensive
university will definitely attract the attention of an international audience.
To enable research, Nigerian universities should possess relevant educational
materials both in offline and online resources.
Networking opportunities for students
One of the trademarks of a world class university is
providing links between the school environment and the working world. This is
done in order to bridge the gap between theory and practice. Students should be
provided with mentors, people that are already established in the career paths
that these students aspire too. That way, when they graduate, they are better
prepared for the world that awaits them.
Facilitating informal meetings
Education should be well rounded and it does not only take
place in the four walls of a classroom. It is time for universities to take
conversations outside school and engage one another in meetings on several
facets of the society in which they live in. These conversations can revolve
around the arts and culture, terrorism and tribalism among others. Meetings
like this can be held in bookstores, eateries, laboratories and libraries. It
is time to take intellectual conversation to informal places.
Technology
In this age, if research is the mother of innovation, then
technology is definitely the forebear of all. Technology has enabled the
extension and accessibility of educational services. It is time for both the
students and lecturers to tap into a wealth of knowledge through technology to
improve their skills.
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