GOVERNOR of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu has decried the continued emphasis of academic qualification by employers of labour in the country. Speaking at the convocation lecture of the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) recently, Aliyu, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof. Mohammed Yahaya, insisted that if the country must move forward, a review of the educational policy, which would play down the current emphasis on academic qualifications in determining employees' status was imperative..According to him, entrepreneurial and personal development skills should be part of the integral requirements for employment and career progression. He blamed the country's wrong value system on the emphasis on academic qualifications and titles, which, according to him, had encouraged desperation among Nigerians to acquire them. Aliyu's lecture was titled: Entrepreneurial Skills and Competency Based Education: An Elixir for Employability and Self-Reliance.'About 5,747 graduates emerged at the institution's 27th combined convocation ceremony. Fellowship awards were also conferred on former Lagos State Governor, Sir Michael Otedola, Chairman, House Committee on Education, Mr. Lawan Farouk and the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr Godswill Akpabio.The ceremony was the first to be conducted by the Rector, Dr Margaret Ladipo, who assumed office in 2009.As part of activities for the ceremony, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Ruifa'I, used the occasion to formally commissioned three projects in the college: the Foundry building in the School of Engineering; Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, as well as the Department of Architecture Studio, in the School of Environmental Studies, pegged at the cost of N155 million.In her address, the Minister, who was represented by the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Dr Masa'udu Adamu Kazaure, expressed regret that most polytechnics in the country were yet to achieve the prescribed enrolment ratio of 70:30 in favour of Science and Technology based programmes.'We encourage all polytechnics to strictly comply with this policy. This will in no little measure, make polytechnic education relevant to the needs of the nation, thereby contributing meaningfully to the sustenance of the nation's growth and development,' she said.She expressed satisfaction at entrepreneurship education pioneered by the college as compulsory course, saying that emphasis must be placed on it to aid poverty alleviation.In her address, theRector said: 'In line with the dictates of the Millennium Development Goals project and more importantly, towards eradication of poverty through the development of entrepreneurial skills in the country, the college through a well designed curriculum content which is tailored to practical production of goods and services and a result-oriented managerial and administrative competence in meeting set goals and objectives'.She reiterated that the commitment of the technical- based college is to promote entrepreneurship education which will in turn produce competent graduates that would be academically-endowed with requisite skills that would make them self employed and ultimately employers of labour.Ladipo further advised that while acquiring skills will promote dignity of labour, help reduce unemployment and help checkmate the growing incidence of youth restiveness in the society, there is also need for government to ensure that funds are made available to assist youths to establish small businesses on their own.On training of students to meet the needs of the industry, she said ' We are currently working with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) on modalities to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the industry and current trends so that our students can be globally competitive'.Ladipo highlighted the consolidation initiative of the college aimed at repositioning it for transformational growth saying, 'We must produce manpower for the operation, maintenance and sustenance of existing infrastructure and production facilities, particularly in industries such as power, oil and gas, automobile, textile and other related industries where products and manpower are largely imported.She said: 'We must redirect emphasis to competence based education and the development and infusement of technically competent manpower in the polytechnics to co-exist with other lecturing staff in other to build technical competence in the system through innovation and translation of existing knowledge.'She commended the federal government for its N1.2 billion special intervention fund to the college, saying that it was applied in the construction of a foundry for the department of Metallurgical Engineering; procurement of workshop and laboratory equipment for departments across the college, among others.Chairman House Committee on Education, Hon. Faruk Lawan, said, 'The key to development lies in our education, all stakeholders should begin to realize that it is our collective responsibility to move the sector forward.'He congratulated the graduands for toiling hard to achieve their certificate despite the numerous challenges confronting the county, and expressed hope that they will go out there to contribute their own quota to the development of the country, as well as being employers of labour.Responding on behalf of the awardees, Akpabio who was accompanied by a colourful troupe of Abang dancers and supporters from Akwa Ibom state express a strong believe in a greater Nigeria founded on a solid education.While donating N25 million towards the development of the college, he dedicated his award to the children of Akwa Ibom state thanking the management for recognising his effort.
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