Summit deliberates on Shaping the Future of Education

“Any investment made into education is an investment into the future.” This was the view of Dr. Ambigali, pro-chancellor, Federal University of Technology Akure. (FUTA) during a two-day summit on “Shaping the Future of Global Education organized by the M-Square Media at the Marriott Hotel, Lagos recently.

The one-day summit brought together stakeholders in the education sector from the University of Port Harcourt, the Federal University of Technology Akure, American University, Abuja, Lagos, Kwara and some other parts of the country. 

During a panelist session at the summit, while discussing on how to solve problems in the tertiary education, Dr. Ambigail, the pro-chancellors of FUTA said, the universities of technology should see how they can synergize and collaborate in order to solve problems in the higher institution.

He was of the view that universities should have solution to their own problems and proffer solutions instead of setting up many private universities or establishing more technological universities, the existing ones could synergize and address some of the peculiar needs and problems they have and forge ahead.

On the area of getting partnership to meet some of the needs in the universities like funding, he said, the first thing is to identify the vision, mission and goals of such partnership. Adding that partnership would really work better when the partnership involved are there physically.

On his own part, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of PortHarcout, Prof. Georgewill said that UNIPORT is setting the pace for entrepreneurship in Nigeria as no student graduates from the university without being certified in entrepreneurship. He said that entrepreneurship is a compulsory course every student of the university must take before graduating. Elaborating further, the Prof said that entrepreneurship is different from skill acquisition. Saying that many young people are acquiring skills, but they are not entrepreneurs.

During his paper presentation, the Second Secretary on Trade at the Canadian High Commission Dindembolo-Zaya Kayena, Lagos said he agreed that the number of visa refusal had been high of late and he attributed this to a number of factors like: Ingenuine intention of migration, poor statement of purpose, insufficient funds and some other reasons.

During his speech he noted that many Nigerians under to guise of wanting to study just want to “Japa” and in this regard the Canadian High Commission is tightening its noose to “Japada” (repatriate) some of them who do not meet the migration demands regarding study visa. Dindembolo also said as an African envoy, Canada has been having bilateral relationship with Nigeria and they still want to maintain that relationship.

Talking on the area of quality education, teachers’ quality and the skills demand for the twenty-first century, Dr. Soyombo, the Special Adviser on Education, Kwara State said that to meet the global competitiveness in today’s world, critical thinking, innovation and enquiry-based methodology and accuracy are critical catalyst.

The Eduverse summit is a platform where regional and global challenges in the higher education sector are brought to the front-burner where stakeholders discuss this issue and proffer solutions.