Stakeholders in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) have called for stronger collaboration between tertiary institutions, industries and government to equip Nigerian graduates with practical skills required for industrial development and global competitiveness.
They made the call at the second hybrid International Engineering Conference organised by the School of Engineering Technology, Ogun State Institute of Technology (OGITECH), Igbesa, Ogun State, on Tuesday.
The conference, held at Governor Dapo Abiodun Twin Hall A of the institution, had as its theme, “Repositioning Engineering TVET for Industrial Development and Global Competitiveness in Nigeria.”
Delivering the keynote address, a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Kazeem Adekunle Adebiyi, described engineering TVET as the bridge that translates scientific knowledge into tangible products, stressing the need for Nigeria to move from a certificate-driven education system to one centred on competence and practical skills.
Adebiyi said the country's TVET system faced challenges relating to curriculum development, teaching methods and inadequate collaboration between academic institutions and industries.
He advocated an industry-driven curriculum that would reflect the needs and challenges of the industrial sector, adding that institutions should establish stronger partnerships with businesses to improve students' practical experience.
The professor identified Igbesa's industrial environment as an advantage OGITECH should exploit, given the presence of several manufacturing companies in the area.
He also urged the institution to engage the informal sector in its efforts to promote skills acquisition and economic development.
Adebiyi identified competence, collaboration, curriculum development and continuous faculty training among the critical areas requiring attention to reposition engineering education.
He said lecturers must regularly update their knowledge and technical skills to remain relevant, noting that practical education required institutions to equip students with competencies that could compete favourably in the international labour market.
The keynote speaker advised students against relying solely on academic certificates to secure employment, urging them to embrace innovation, entrepreneurship and continuous skills development.
“Students should not be thinking that, 'Well, I have gotten the diploma and the next for me is to go and secure a job.' No. You should be thinking of how you can be innovative.
“When you are innovative, definitely you will be on your own. And when you are on your own, you will not be thinking of jobs,” he said.
On funding, Adebiyi said the responsibility of developing education should not be left to government alone, urging alumni associations and industries to support tertiary institutions.
He acknowledged the contributions of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to infrastructure development, academic training and research, but said institutions needed additional support from other stakeholders.
Also speaking, the lead speaker and former Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, Oyo State, Engineer Taofiq Adeleye Abdul-Hameed, said Nigeria's industrial development depended on effective partnerships among polytechnics, industries and government.
He stressed that technical education should go beyond paper qualifications, noting that graduates of National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and university degree programmes must possess relevant practical skills.
Abdul-Hameed identified poor implementation of policies, inadequate government funding and weaknesses in accreditation processes as some of the challenges confronting technical education.
He condemned the practice of institutions borrowing equipment from other schools during accreditation exercises, describing it as a setback to genuine skills development.
He also expressed concern over alleged irregularities in the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme, saying some students obtained SIWES records without undergoing the required industrial training.
He urged regulatory agencies to strengthen monitoring and ensure that institutions met the required standards before receiving accreditation.
In his welcome remarks, the Rector of OGITECH, Dr Abiodun Babatunde Oluseye said the institution had made deliberate efforts to strengthen its academic environment through conferences, seminars, workshops and annual academic lectures.
Oluseye said he introduced the initiative three years ago after observing that academic activities of such nature were inadequate in the institution.
He said the initiative had become a tradition, with different schools and departments now organising academic conferences and seminars.
The rector added that the institution's development agenda went beyond infrastructure and technical skills acquisition to include the overall intellectual and professional growth of students and staff.
Earlier, the Dean of the School of Engineering Technology, Dr Dauda Adekunle Folarin, said the conference was organised to showcase the institution's commitment to TVET and promote collaboration with industries.
Folarin said OGITECH was the first polytechnic to register with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) under its TVET initiative.
He said the conference provided an opportunity to showcase innovative products developed by students and staff, urging industries to recognise the potential of locally developed solutions and partner with academic institutions.
He added that the initiative would encourage other polytechnics to embrace similar programmes and strengthen the relationship between academic research and industrial development.
In recognition of their exceptional intellectual contributions, professional excellence, and invaluable insights into the advancement of engineering technology and technical education, the guest speaker, Prof. Engr.Adebiyi and Engr. Dr. Abdul-Hammed were presented with the Distinguished Keynote Speaker and Lead Speaker awards by the School of Engineering Technology, OGITECH, at the conference.
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