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Nigeria: Prioritization of Technical and Vocational Education

RTD General MUHAMADU BUHARI
PRESIDENT/ COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

We Will Prioritize Technical, Vocational Education

President Muhammadu Buhari a fortnight ago in Ilorin-Kwara State announced the resolve of his administration to improve access and quality of the nation’s educational system.

He said his administration would pursue this goal ”as far as our resource capacity and capability can support.”

Buhari in an address read on his behalf by Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. Babachir David Lawal at the 40th anniversary of the university of Ilorin, said that his administration will give considerable attention to technical and vocational education and training
to provide skill manpower in applied sciences, engineering, technology and commerce to operate, maintain and sustain the nation’s economic activities for rapid socio-economic development.

Buhari said that the decision of his government was in recognition of the fact that globalization of market, interdependence of international systems, expanding roles of technology and high skilled technical, vocational and managerial leaders are the keys drivers of any national economy.

“Nigeria is not different. In the area of knowledge based economy we cannot but key into this global trend by giving desired attention to the education sector”, he stated.

Buhari who is the visitor to the University, added that “this will also help impact necessary skills and competencies leading to the production of artisans, technicians, technologists who will be enterprising and self-reliant, thus having the greatest potentials to generate employment and reduce poverty in our society.

“I must also emphasis, that the federal government alone cannot meet the need of higher education in Nigeria.

The private sector must be encouraged to invest in research and development in the universities. This means the universities must make themselves relevant to the private sector in order to attract funding.

“Therefore, the governing councils of the universities must begin to think outside the box in order to re position their universities for global competitiveness. There is also the need for, enhanced corporate social responsibility on the part of the universities in order to remain relevant and peaceful in the communities where they exist”.

While assuring Nigerians of the determination of his government to continue to support the upgrade of infrastructure, teaching materials and research equipment in the nation’s universities, Buhari noted that “our economic growth potentials are good and promising and will continue to receive favorable, credible endorsement by the international community. However, the impact of the investment we make in the field of education and training on the lives of the ordinary citizens will determine how far we can go in achieving our national aspirations.

“The task of grooming youths for national development revolves on the universities. I therefore appeal to our teachers not to use our students as their laboratories for their doctrines or as cannon folder for their struggles in the society. The children under your care must not be used as agents for the destabilization of our society. Our universities must demonstrate high quality intellectual leadership that will engender political, economic and social progress so that together we might build a nation that will be the pride of all”.

The president charged the Universities to key in to the evolving ethical revolution, noting that “without discipline, law and order no society cannot make any meaningful progress”.
excerpt from LEADERSHIP Nigeria newspaper.

NOTICE TO PRIMEX BENEFICIARIES

The Vice Chancellor of The University of Bamenda requests that students should consult the list of beneficiaries of the Presidential Grant posted on the notice board in the University campus.Those whose names appear on the list should copy the serial number that corresponds to his/her name, then present these at the corresponding payment points alongside the following documents:
a. Original and photocopy of National Identity Card or UBa student Identity Card.
b. Original and photocopy of 2013/2014 academic year school fee receipts.
The Vice Chancellor of The University of Bamenda requests that students should consult the list of beneficiaries of the Presidential Grant posted on the notice board in the University campus.

Payment will start on Thursday December 10th 2015 at 10:00.
NB: Check your names on the list tomorow(08/12/2015) afternoon.
Prof. Theresa NKUO-AKENJI
Vice Chancellor

The Foolish African: The Journal of Cameroonian Writers

The epilogue by NKwetatang Sampson Ngueki

All what the African decries is that he was dehumanized by slavery and slave trade, that he was callously colonized, and since then till today, his land is still the harvesting ground of raw materials for western industries. All the African prides himself with, is that he has benefitted from western education, from western civilization, from western camaraderie, and from community development at home. All these notwithstanding, I categorise the African should know that he is the most foolish homo sapient who has ever live on the surface of the earth. The African is foolish to depths unmeasured. I am an African myself. And unless I know that I am foolish, and unless I stamp out that foolishness from my body and soul, I will never be proud to be an African. Never!

The following are some very depressing slogans which you can hear only in Africa and in no other continent in the world no matter how backward it may be. Some of these slogans include, ‘The number of wives and children one has determines his wealth’, ‘Nine children are better than two’, ‘My grand children are my legacy’, ‘A chieftainship title gives someone much respect in his community’, a PhD or a professorship is the climax of education’, ‘That man is successful man he has three children in Germany, two in Belgium and one in the United States of America’, ‘In Africa you are in hell while in Europe or in the USA you are in paradise’, ‘The civil service is the best employment because in your old age, you enjoy your retirement benefits’, “Two heads think better than one’, ‘Building houses and putting them on rents is the best investment’, ‘Life is short’ etc.

Even if I were to stand before God who created me, I would tell Him without shuddering that the African is How can one be proud of the sophisticated infrastructure in other people’s countries rather than in his own country? Such temporal pride is only enjoyed by renegades. If someone settles his success in life on the number of children he has overseas, and they send him  hard currency every month, then, that person is certainly out of his mind. And such a person must be no other than a foolish African. If someone defines his pension as retirement benefits, then, he is certainly a foolish African. Retirement does not have any material or financial benefits. It only has spiritual benefits and the African cannot see them because he is blind. If you show a beneficial project to an African, believe me; you have shown it to a sheep.

foolish to immeasurable depths. How can the number of one’s wives and children determine his wealth rather than his talents and his technical know–how? What other legacy is handed down to grand children in Africa than abject poverty and despicable misery? What pedigree of respect can a chieftainship title gives someone? What bearing does a PhD and a professorship have on education?

Who deceived the African that two heads think better than one? God creates every human being individually. Two people don’t think; since the one can never know what the other is thinking. Only one person thinks and proposes what he has thought to other people who refine and polish it with their own thoughts. All paramount ideas which have changed the world were thought by one person. No doubt, Africans are counted at the bottom when inventors on earth are being counted, because they don’t know that only one head thinks at a time. Consequently, their intuition of initiative is compromised. How foolish they are!

Since the African does not know that investing in the mind is the best investment, why will he not settle on the manual labour of building houses and putting them on rents as the best investment? Since the African cannot create employment for himself, why will he not conclude that the civil service is the best employment because of retirement benefits in his old age? Since the African does not have anything meaningful to do with his life, why will he not console himself that life is short? Foolish African!