By Linus Akomolafe
With the increasing numbers of unemployed graduates in the country, Wellspring University, is reviewing its curricula to be skills based and certified in Information Communication Technology (ICT) for self-sufficiency.
This was revealed during a chat with the Vice Chancellor of Wellspring University, Prof. Isaac Ajayi, tagged the ‘Future of Education in Nigeria’, at Wheatbaker Hotel, Lagos
Prof Ajayi stated that with the support of the management team of the institution he is confident that they we can successfully transform the institution to one of the leading research university in Africa.
“to achieve this goal we are currently reviewing our curricula to be skills based by ensuring that every of our students is ICT certificated and ensuring that they undergo entrepreneurship training. We want to make our graduates employable by the industries,” he said.
He added that the institution is promoting industry collaboration with the goal of unlocking entrepreneurial ideas in students and ensuring they develop sustainable enterprises that will lead to economic independence.
“Our ultimate goal is to have graduates that would be creative, innovative, employable and globally competitive. Graduates that will be patriotic. We believe that this is achievable by the grace of God. Since my assumption three months ago, we have enjoyed support from our Chancellor, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo.”
Speaking at the event, founder and Senior Pastor of Trinity House Church, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, called for urgent attention on the educational sector, stressing the need to reduce numbers of out of school dropouts.
Ituah said: “education is the bedrock of society. Nelson Mandela said the most important thing in life is education. And everyone should get an education. It is a very big crisis in Nigeria that we have 12 million if not 14 million children out of school. It is a big crisis and we would not see the effect of this crisis until about 10 or 20 years later when the security situation in Nigeria becomes a challenge and a problem.
The reason why you have hoodlums, beggars, is simply because people do not have knowledge and are not well educated.”
He added that Wellspring University wants to plunge into the educational spectrum of Nigeria to contribute its quota to the development of the nation to ensure that the nation becomes the greatest nation in the world.
Meanwhile, Peter Obi who spoke on the need to improve the system appealed to Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to provide funds for Private varsities for holistic improvement in education.
Obi added that to improve the quality of education and to reduce the numbers of Nigerians traveling out of the country for education tourism, funds should also be given to private institutions who have structures to change the current narratives.
