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Tag: Bowen VC

  • Ex-HoS, Bowen VC urge curriculum reform, research-driven policies to tackle unemployment

    Ex-HoS, Bowen VC urge curriculum reform, research-driven policies to tackle unemployment

    Former Head of Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, and Vice-Chancellor of Bowen University, Prof. Jonathan Babalola, have called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s education curriculum and a shift toward research-driven policies to address the rising menace of unemployment and declining educational standards.

    The duo made the call at the grand finale of the 60th anniversary celebration of postgraduate studies at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    They lamented that the current system places more emphasis on certificates than competence, leading to a glut of unemployable graduates and a weakened labour market.

    In his lecture titled ‘Postgraduate Studies in Nigeria: The Past, Present and Future’, Prof. Babalola identified major challenges affecting postgraduate education in Nigeria, including the sale of degrees, plagiarised theses, poor supervision, and lack of mentorship.

    He emphasized the need for increased government funding, adoption of technology, and integrity in research, warning against data falsification and unethical academic practices.

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    Prof. Afolabi, in his goodwill message, expressed concern over the shift from skill-based education to certificate-chasing, noting that “graduates used to be market-ready, but today’s rush for certificates without competence has worsened unemployment.”

    He stressed the urgent need to redesign Nigeria’s curriculum to be more relevant, impactful, and aligned with the realities of the job market.

    Earlier, the Provost of Postgraduate College, Prof. Victor Olaleye, disclosed that OAU now runs various postgraduate programmes across 104 departments and 14 faculties, reflecting the institution’s continued growth and commitment to advanced education.

    “Over the past 60 years, the College has produced 29,887 graduates who have achieved remarkable success globally, comprising: 3,985 Postgraduate Diplomas; 13,813 Professional Masters; 8,247 Masters with Research Thesis; 965 Master of Philosophy; 2, 877 Doctor of Philosophy. The current student enrolment is: 7,095, including 60 international students.”

  • Tackle universities producing ‘killer’ nurses—Bowen VC to NMCN

    Tackle universities producing ‘killer’ nurses—Bowen VC to NMCN

    The Vice-Chancellor of Bowen University, Iwo, Osun-State, Professor Jonathan Babalola has urged the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) to strictly monitor institutions that are offering distance learning by ensuring that their students are made to undergo the required number of hours of clinical service.

    Speaking at the 5th Induction and award ceremony of 46 Nursing students inducted by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), Babalola lamented poor training of nursing students by some institutions offering distance learning.

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    He said: “In the attempt to make money, there are universities running distance learning programmes for Bachelors in Nursing that failed to expose students to the required numbers of hours for clinical service due to distance.

    “It is not good enough to expose our students to two to three weeks of clinical service because we want to make money, it is like we are producing killers. If you can not do the expected numbers of the training for clinical, it is better not to produce.”