VC advocates vocational courses in varsities

VC advocates vocational courses in varsities

VC advocates vocational courses in varsities

The Federal government has been
advised to ensure that all Universities in
the country establish vocational centres
in their institutions to train the students
to acquire vocational skills.
The Vice-Chancellor of Tai Solarin
University of Education (TASUED),
Ijagun, Professor Oluyemisi Obilade who
spoke in Ijebu-Ode yesterday said this
would go a long way to equip Nigerians
youths to acquire the skills to strengthen
the country’s industrial and construction
sectors.
Besides, Obilade insisted it would also
put the beneficiaries in a position not to
depend solely on white-collar jobs after
their education.
The don who spoke at a press conference
to herald the activities of the university’s
10th year anniversary insisted that
equipping many Nigerian youths with
skills would drastically reduce
unemployment rate in the country.
The 10th anniversary, which begins on
Friday, November, 20 is scheduled to end
on Saturday, November, 28 with the 6th
and 7th convocation ceremonies of the
university. The university is owned by
the Ogun State government.
She stressed “TASUED established the
Centre for the Entrepreneurship and
Vocational Studies (CENVOS) to further
equip the students against
unemployment challenges in the
country. These vocational skills have
actually paid off for our University as
many of our graduates are now
employers of labour rather than looking
endlessly for scarce white collar jobs”.
Her words “It is unfortunate that in
Nigeria we place more emphasises on
white collar jobs. Instead we have to
train our students to value the work of
their hands because it pays”.
The University don disclosed that the
University is on the verge of signing a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Mt. Sierra College, California, USA,
explaining that that MoU would entail
sharing of ideas, researches and also
streamlining of curricula with the
institution.
Obilade said that the school had, since
inception awarded 129 Master’s Degrees
and also have a stable academic
calendar, which she attributed to a well-
planned internal control measures. She
disclosed that the school had become a
resource centre for institutions both in
Nigeria and outside the country,
explaining that graduates of the school
would be issued two certificates after
their studies “one in their primary
course and the other in vocational
skills”.
The Vice-Chancellor mentioned human
capital development as one of the
achievements of the school, disclosing
that 150 academic staff and non-
academic staff had been sponsored to
conferences, workshops and seminars
both home and abroad. She added that
some of their staff are currently on their
PHD programmes abroad.
She lamented that funding had been the
major challenge of the university but
said, “We believe we must think outside
the box for sustainability of this
University to meet the current
University needs”.
Obilade further disclosed that all the
university’s programmes are 100 percent
accredited by the National Universities
Commission (NUC), saying, “We do not
run any illegal programme, all our
programmes are certified by NUC”.
The Vice-Chancellor said, “In my maiden
address in the University I remarked
that I have not come as a liquidator or
an undertaker. I have come to take the
University to greater heights from where
I met it. I thank God that we have been
successful in this regard. Our
achievements have been as a result of
collective efforts.

Registrar, University of Ibadan, Olujimi
Olukoya (left); Acting Vice Chancellor,
Prof Emilolorun Ayelari; Pro- Chancellor,
Dr. Umar Mustapha; Oyo State Governor,
Abiola Ajimobi at the University of
Ibadan Convocation Lecture in Ibadan,
Oyo State. PHOTO NAJEEM RAHEEM