Minister Seeks Industry Leaders Partnership on Developing Education

Funmi Ogundare

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, yesterday, called on industry leaders to complement government’s initiatives through partnerships that would enable them to contribute to research, structural development, scholarships for underprivileged, capacity building and graduate employment.

Mamman stated that the partnership would significantly augment the accomplishment facilitated by agencies such as TETfund, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) and international development partners.

Mamman made this call at the 35th convocation ceremony of Yaba College of Technology where a total of 7,717 students graduated in the 2021/2022 academic session for the award of diplomas and certificates.

Fellowship awards were also conferred  on the  Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Zulum, wife of the former Lagos State Governor and matriarch of the Otedola family, Lady Doja Otedola and  a former General Secretary of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU), Comrade Hassan Adebayo Sunmonu, for their immense contributions to education and national development.

The minister of education, who was represented by the Director of Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Education, Ms. Blessing Ezonibe Azobor, emphasised on its envisioned roadmap designed to shape the future of education in Nigeria saying that government is aware of the various challenges confronting the sector.

He explained that his ministry recognised the pivotal role of science and technology education in national growth and that regular curriculum reviews are imperative to infuse indigenous technology through local content and fostering harmonious relationships with host communities.

“The federal government remained committed to supporting this sub-sector, emphasising a renewed focus on the 70-30 admission ratio favouring science and technology programmes,” he stated.

The minister congratulated the grandaunts for their hard-earned achievements while calling on the management of the college to persist in eradicating cultism and other vices on campus as these have no place in the country’s education philosophy.

The Rector of Yabatech, Dr.  Ibraheem Abdul, emphasised his achievements since his appointment this year, saying that his transformation targets are on global branding, Effective Education Organisation Management System (EOMS), commitment to effective quality management practices, a widened participation of stakeholders, a personalised learning and effective response to all learners, including those with special educational needs and most of all to make the college the first in Africa.

“We are currently boosting the research capacity of our staff and the students. We are doing this from two angles. The first is to develop their capacity and the second is to provide incentive and motivation.

“We continually undertake training and recently we awarded some research products with varying prices. In the coming years, we would intensify efforts at making our staff and students compete at national and global levels,” he stated.

In her response to the fellowship awards, Lady Doja Otedola, thanked the college for the initiative while dedicating it to the Odoragushin community in Epe and the first female rector of the college, Felicia Abimbola Odugbesan.

The college award for the best Higher National Diploma ( HND) and National Diploma ( ND) graduates  were given to Miss Treasure Akhator and Dorcas Adeniyi of the departments of Food Technology and Metallurgical Engineering, respectively.