Press Releases

Fashola Calls For Review Of Nation’s Varsity Curricular To Reflect Present Needs

Feb 21, 2009 - Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Saturday called for a review of the country’s university curricular to reflect its present needs in human resources and skills in petroleum, gas drilling and exploration.

Governor Fashola who spoke in an interview in Minna at the conferment of a honorary Doctorate Degree on Niger State Governor, Dr Babangida Muazu Aliyu by Federal University of Technology in Minna added that other areas where attention should be focused now is renewable energy, construction of bridges and dam as well as research into areas like Malaria.

He said the university curricular being implemented today was designed about 40 to 50 years ago when the country was trying to create a Nigerian corps of professionals who would take over from the departing colonialists.

He added that then the country needed lawyers, doctors, accountants and all those who were running the United African Company (UAC), the Paterson Zochonis, United Trading Company and all such businesses that are no more thriving today as they did then, wondering why those courses are still being continued.

The Governor said a continuation of the present curriculum means that the country would continue to turn out lawyers, doctors and others; they would be turned into a Nigerian economy that does not need them.

He reiterated that the Nollywood is an emerging industry in Nigeria but which many universities have not adapted to by offering courses in cinematography and movie production that would ensure that the requirement becomes adaptive to the economy and respond to it.

Governor Fashola who said he does not share the view that standard of education has dropped considerably added that in the last 30 years if the nation has not lived up to its full potentials in so many sectors, it would be difficult to expect miracle from a sub sector.

He said there are fundamental issues about how the Nigerian economy has been mismanaged, adding that his take on education is for everyone to realize that the University curricular being implemented today were designed about 40 to 50 years ago.

Said he: “The truth is that as a nation, in so many areas what have we done in the last 30 years. What kind of miracle do you expect from a sub sector of an economy? Has Agriculture prospered? Why single out and condemn one sector. Have we had power? There are fundamental issues about how the economy has been mismanaged”.

The Governor, who also spoke on the possible effect of the global economic meltdown on the nation, said since the nation has reserves, it can draw on it and lend it to the banks to get going with the country’s economy.

He added that since the country has had recession for a long time as a country in so many areas of the economy, the current economic meltdown must not be an excuse for the nation.

Said he: “We have reserves. We don’t have debts. We have problems in education, in education, in schools and so many areas. So let us get on to keep the factories going and try to see if we can get more to work”.

He said he was in Minna to honour Dr Muazu Aliyu Babangida who had specially invited him to be at the conferment of honorary doctorate degree on him by the Federal University of Technology, Minna, adding that Dr Muazu truly deserves the honour.