The Nation Newspaper

Tag: graduates

  • Edo Poly graduates for NYSC

    Graduating Higher National Diploma (HND) students of Edo State Polytechnic, formerly Edo State Institute of Technology and Management, Usen in Ovia Southwest Council of the state are to be mobilise for the next batch of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

    This was the fallout of the visit by 12 representatives of the National Board For Technical Education (NBTE) accreditation team to the school.

    Leader of the team, Elder Augustine Efedika, described their visit as a rescue mission to enable the affected students participate in the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in the next batch.

    He said a similar move had been carried out at the Federal Polytechnic, Auchi, and the Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku.

    Programmes to be accredited in the school included: HND in Computer Science and Electrical and Electronics.

    Efedika recalled that last year,the 12 courses presented to NBTE were accredited.

    The Commissioner for Higher Education, Washington Osifo, who was represented by Dr Irene Okakua, a Director in the state Ministry of Education, also said in the previous  year, the first phase of accreditation was successful, adding that the government has deployed enough resources to ensure the success of the HND courses.

    In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Governing Council, Rev. Peter Obadan and the Acting Rector, Comrade Patience .O. Edomioya, praised the government’s repeated assistance especially during accreditation period. Edomioya promised that workers, management and students will not disappoint the government.

     

  • Entrepreneurship as option for Nigerian graduates

    Nigerian graduates are trained to be job seekers in their various academic pursuits. This is the reason why lots of graduates, upon graduating from their various institutions, embark on job hunt without second thoughts. Yes, it is good to finally become independent, after all, our parents have done their part by training us to university level. At this point, we have to face the harsh reality: there are a lot of graduates but a little available job offers.

    Thank God that we have a new government which knows the plight of young Nigerians, and which is willing to listen to options, suggestions and advice from the public. The unfortunate thing is the reality that our youths graduate in geometric progression but the available job opportunities is in arithmetic progression. Lots of individuals are laying complaints about youths wasting away, without proffering solutions to these predicaments. Thank God for successful entrepreneurs like Tony Elumelu, who through his foundation, is looking at training a lot of youth to be self-sufficient through their focused entrepreneurship programs. Other NGOs like the Posh9ja Youth Initiative, also have embarked on the gospel of entrepreneurship through mentoring and vocational training/ skill aquisition. Instead of growing interest in this, lots of our youths have become up and coming artistes, looking for talents that aren’t there.I do not ascribe blames to them because they have to survive. In the journey of survival, some venture into internet fraud; others ditch their degree for menial jobs like okada riding, bus conductors/drivers, cobblers, corporate begging, e.t.c, all in a bid to make ends meet.

    As the clamour for entrepreneurship grows, the government should think it wise to bat the eyelid in this direction. Prof Pat Utomi, in one of his lectures at the Centre for Values and Leadership, explains entrepreneurs as individuals who see a problem and take punitive measures to create solution to these problems while entrepreneurship is the process of starting up a business or an organization. The entrepreneur is solely responsible for its conceptualization as well as its success or failure.The problem about our youth today is that they all aren’t ready to labour, they just want to start the business today and make profit immediately. We are all conversant with the stories of AlhajiAlikoDangote, who spent over 30 years in business before becoming the richest man in Africa. Also, Chief Mike Adenuga worked as a taxi driver in the USA before finding his foot in business. Nigerian youths just believe it is a day’s job of training, and money starts to spin by the next day.

    Entrepreneurship takes patience, grooming, under-studying, perseverance, finance and lots of encouragement. Business men who venture into this without the needed tools end up closing shop when the challenges gets too enormous. The big question now arises: how can one become an entrepreneur? What does it take?

    The first step is the dream and determination. The popular saying goes that ‘if you do not dream, you will eventually work for someone who dreams’. Having a dream isn’t just basically sleeping and wishing. It is what keeps you awake while everyone is asleep. Growing and nurturing the dream in view of every brickwall is what makes an entrepreneur. Once the idea has been conceptualized, the next thing required is to develop a step-by-step plan in actualizing the dream. Thank God we have internet available all around the country, and google isn’t keeping malice with anyone. There are tons of information available on the internet. Whatever business idea you might have, take a little bit of time to research on the internet. Its challenges, profitability, financial implication and even examples of people who have been in the business and have made considerable impact in it. If what you see does not encourage you, it is better to back out before becoming a failure. Research isn’t just about sitting behind the system and reading about it, it involves going for a course to understudy the idea. Having a form of internship or picking a mentor in the field will also go a long way in actualizing your dream. There are a lot of vocational centres across the country for those having the business ideas in fashion, baking, computer engineering and website development, e.t.c. If your idea is of a more complex nature, thorough research will be a plus. There is no knowledge as helpful as the knowledge gained on the field hence, the need to have good experience in whatever venture. After all research is done, test the waters with your services and possibly, execute your projects as the cheapest available in the industry. The standard you project will go a long way in categorizing you amongst either the best, average or worst.

    The government should really look at entrepreneurship as a means of creating jobs for the teeming youthful population. Not just in the creation of those jobs but also, proper verification as well as provision of enabling environment. Thank God that electricity has gradually improved since the take-over of President MuhammaduBuhari. While some individuals might be interested in being business owners, capital is one of the major drawbacks affecting many local businesses. During the previous administration by President Goodluck Jonathan, a scheme called YouWin was established to provide capital for would-be entrepreneurs. This really worked as lots of business ideas were birthed. Making this YouWin project a continuous one will go a long way in assisting these young ones in balancing their foot. There are some industries that are over-saturated while some are really in need of intellectuals to grow. While most graduates feel that agriculture is demeaning and degrading, they overlook the business part of that industry, forgetting that a commodity that never goes out of fashion is a commodity that is required for the daily living of humans.

    Also, entrepreneurship should be included in the curriculum of university students, irrespective of the course of study. We are in a society that everyone hustles for available jobs irrespective of the course of study. That is why we have Geologists working in Audit firms, Engineers working as teachers in primary schools and Biochemists as bankers.Our society is one that allows an individual employment as long as he passes the aptitude test. Corporate organisations should also step-up their CSR not just by maintaining and gardening round-abouts, but invest in human capacity building, especially the youth.

    Lastly, a country that engages its youths will not only clear out idle hands, but will also increase its revenue when these ones start to pay tax and employ people to grow their brands. The government should put special attention to the youth and entrepreneurship/ mentoring. If this is in place, a new set of billionaires will be groomed and in another 10 years, we will be glad we conceptualized such idea.

     

    • Oluwashola Jimmy Ayinde Idiagbon, President, SIJ Foundation/ CEO, SIJ Global Group.

  • College graduates 536

    Dr Kola Christwealth and his wife Oyinola can look back and thank God that they are beginning to reap the fruits of the seed they planted 15 years ago.

    Penultimate Thursday, Living Stone College, a school established by the couple with Mrs Christwealth as the proprietress, graduated 536 across the school’s 17 annexes.

    The couple therefore, invited well wishers, friends and particularly parents to join them at the Ikorodu Town Hall to celebrate the success of the school and their pupil’s graduation.

    A prominent motivational speaker, Mrs Ibironke Akinlaja, rejoiced with graduands and parents, warning the latter to continue to monitor the former. especially with regards to what they watch on television and social media.

    “A child’s mind is empty and whatever you put inside will germinate either good or bad; so you have to monitor them. Let them get information from you first. Just don’t give up on them and also know that every child has his or her own potential,” she said.

    Akinlaja who was the guest speaker, said children often see addiction to technology as a normal thing, which is at variance with their parents’ and resulting in friction between the two parties.  Application of ICT, she explained, can both be ‘good and bad’, but admonished parents to direct their wards towards the former.

    She said: “Being a teacher comes with a lot of responsibilities and clearly the teachers of Livingstone school have not failed in doing their job. So we as parents need to play our part to ensure we produce a total child.”

    Speaking with The Nation, Dr Christweath, said it was about time the government re-interpreted the role of private schools as social service providers, rather than entities merely out to make profit.

    Odugu Obiora from Ogba annexe emerged the overall best pupil in the entire 17 annexes.

     

    Obiora better know by his nickname, ‘small man with mighty brain’ expressed his joy with his family. He advised his juniors to focus and be prayerful.

     

  • Covenant University school graduates 50

    Covenant University school graduates 50

    Covenant University Secondary School, Ota, Ogun State, has graduated the first set of final year students of the institution with a charge to continue to strive for excellence in their future endeavours.
    Principal of the school, Mrs Florence Johnson, gave the advice at the school’s fifth speech/prize giving and maiden graduation.
    Fifty students passed out at the ceremony witnessed by members of the governing council, parents, teachers and other guests.
    Mrs Johnson who noted that the students will face challenges, urged them to always hold their “head high and your heart wide open.”
    “Every battle you win matters most not only to your family, it matters to your society, your country and the world at large,” she said.
    “Remember that we would be physically there to advise you; that is why you must set your direction into a positive attitude and strong spirit,” Mrs Johnson stated.
    She praised the founder of the school, Bishop David Oyedepo, and wife Pastor Faith who is the Vice President (Education), the Education Commission of the ministry, governing council members, parents and teachers for the support that has ensured the success of the institution.
    She highlighted various achievements of the school which includes awards won by students in various academic and sporting competitions.

  • First Class graduates to serve in higher institutions, says NYSC

    First Class graduates to serve in higher institutions, says NYSC

    Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawumi has said First Class graduates and their counterparts, who graduated with distinction from the polytechnics, will now be posted only to tertiary institutions for their primary assignment.

    He said universities have been banned from offering post-graduate admission to serving corps members, as doing so have been in violation of the NYSC Act.

    Brig-Gen. Johnson spoke in Kaduna yesterday at the opening ceremony of 2015 Batch ‘B’ Pre-Mobilisation Workshop.

    Addressing participants of the workshop, tagged, “ICT and NYSC Mobilization Process: Towards Eliminating Identified Challenges”, the NYSC boss emphasised that henceforth, “all First Class graduates will be posted to the universities for their primary assignments” and appealed to the Vice-Chancellors to retain them after their NYSC programme.

    NYSC’s Director of Corps Mobilisation Mr. Anthony Ani said the workshop would “look at the data entry used for the exercise for the Senate Approved list, the list of Approved Corps Producing Institutions and the list of accredited courses”.

    Brig-Gen. Olawumi, who enumerated his reform programmes aimed at improving service delivery and efficiency by the NYSC, stated thaat, if fully implemented, the scheme would add value to young Nigerian graduates.

    Kaduna State Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai,  who was represented by  Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe Musa, applauded the decision of NYSC to post First Class graduate corps members to tertiary institutions, adding that with the paucity of lecturers in such institutions, it was an encouraging decision of the NYSC to do so.

  • Reekado Banks graduates

    Reekado Banks graduates

    It was a day of celebration for Ayoleyi Hanniel Solomon, aka Reekado Banks, yesterday as he was one of the hundreds who graduated from the University of Lagos.

    Excited about his new status, the Mavin Records artiste took to social media to congratulate himself. He posted; “Happy convocation to me. Proud to say I am a graduate of History and Strategic Studies from the University of Lagos. Thank you Lord”.

    New to the Nigerian music industry, his first official single under the Mavin imprint, Turn It Up, which features Mavin’s first lady, Tiwa Savage, has been described as a melodious treat that screams get up and dance.

    Reekado Banks is a Nigerian singer, rapper and songwriter signed to Mavin Records. He went by the stage name Spicy prior to his record deal with the aforementioned label.

  • FUT Minna produces 34 First Class graduates

    over 3, 400 students will be conferred with bachelor’s  and higher degrees at the 24th convocation of the Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, on Saturday.

    The Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof Musibau Akanji, said 2,903 of the graduands are bachelor’s degree holders, while 105 and 453 would be graduating with Post Graduate Diplomas and Masters’ degrees. An additional 29 graduates, he said, will bag doctorate degrees.

    Akanji further said 34 of the first degree graduates made first class, while 811 are in the second class upper, 1,363 are in second class lower and 648 got third class categories with 47 others making the pass grade.

    Akanji said in fulfilment of his promise on assumption as the Vice Chancellor of the institution, certificates would be issued to all graduates after Saturday’s ceremony.

    Activities to mark the convocation began with a Juma’at prayer last Friday and a special church service on Sunday. An exhibition of academic exploits holds today at Suleimanu Kumo Convocation Square, main campus, Gidan Kwano, while the Convocation lecture titled: “The role of law in the enhancement of socio-economic growth of the nation” will be delivered tomorrow by the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi.

     

  • Poly’s Governing Council chair seeks loans for graduates

    Poly’s Governing Council chair seeks loans for graduates

    The government has been urged to grant loans to graduates of higher institutions to attain the desired goals of entrepreneurial education.

    Chairman, Governing Council, Lagos City Polytechnic (LCP), Mr Babatunde Odufuwa, made the call at the Ninth convocation of the institution in Ikeja, Lagos.

    He said: “Nigerian government in pursuit of the Vision 2020 mandated that all students in higher education, regardless of their discipline, study an entrepreneurship course before they qualify for their degrees/diplomas. The aim was to create a critical mass of graduates better prepared for employment as well as creators of knowledge-based enterprises.

    “In furtherance of the policy trust, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has since 2007 designated the curricula for all the tiers of polytechnics in Nigeria. Three years into the implementation of that curricula, several challenges have emerged. The major challenge is the take-off capital or seed money required for some of these graduates in moving forward.

    “These challenges must be addressed if entrepreneurship education in higher education in Nigeria is expected to atain the desired goals. The major challenge, which is the desired take-off capital requires the attention of government at all levels. This is possible by a way of guaranteeing loans to these graduates by Bank of Industry to reduce graduates’ unemployment and restlessness among youths.”

    He said every polytechnic institution required the critical culture of entrepreneur in order to survive and produce graduates that will “instill in themselves the characteristics of risk-taking and perseverance”, both of which he said, are the current entrepreneurship skills.

    At the ceremony, 801 graduates received their certificates. They are 315 National Diplomas and 486 Higher National Diplomas.

    Delivering the Convocation Lecture, titled: “Enhancing Youth employment through entrepreneurial vocation”, the event’s keynote speaker, Alhaji Ismaila Bello, suggested a collaboration between employers and higher institutions, to help the latter focus on programmes that would enhance employment.

    He explained strategies to enhance relevance of graduates in the labour market to include: collaboration between employers and higher education, curriculum adaptation to meet labour market skills, focusing on programmes that enhance self-development, professional education qualifications, literacy in Information and Communication Technology, among others.

    The best graduating student of the institution, Oriowo Richard, advised his colleagues to be true to themselves and be good representatives of the institution that  built them.

    Other graduands of the first private polytechnic in Nigeria cheered the institution for the mark it has made in the country’s education sector, encouraging the establishment of more private educational institutions in Nigeria.

    A National Diploma graduand of the Department of Business Administration and Management, Longe Michael, said the institution upholds integrity and professionalism and advised upcoming private institutions to imbibe the same attitude and shun compromise because they want to attract students.

    A Higher National Diploma graduate of Computer Science, Ahulo Jonathan, said: “I am so happy about graduating today. The fact that the institution is private made our education process very fast and smooth and our lecturers teach very well. I hope other private education institutions coming up would not compromise the good standard this school has built.”

     

  • Medical education and frustrated young graduates

    Some years ago during the Obasanjo administration, he was told that there were no positions in hospitals particularly teaching hospitals for medical graduates to do the compulsory one year requirement as house men without which their training will not be complete. If their training is not complete, they will not be able to practice medicine and they will not be able to serve in the NYSC. The president gave an executive order expanding the training positions in teaching hospitals.

    Around this time also a delegation of The Historical Society of Nigeria intimated the president that History had been muscled out of primary and secondary schools curricula and that no country can develop without a point of reference in the past. Furthermore it was pointed out to him that some of the anti-social behaviour noticeable in our youth and adults is a manifestation of the disconnect between the leadership and the follower-ship and between the present and the past. He was told that without solid grounding and connection with the past the present will be disjointed and the future will be uncertain.

    The president was persuaded and he issued an executive order restoring the teaching of history to the appropriate levels in the educational ladder. Unfortunately the presidential executive order was obeyed in the breach! The ministry of education simply put one huddle or the other in its way of implementation.

    The issue that is very critical right now is that of young people completing five or six-year medical programme in a university and having no where to finish their education as house officers. I would never have known about the existence of this problem but for the fact that my colleagues have children graduating and frantically searching for non-existent places in hospitals. I have had to join friends in this frantic search sometimes successfully but failing abjectly some other times. When my daughter finished her medical programme abroad, she did not have her dad around to run around looking for friendly CMDs.

    This is a problem that needed not to have arisen in the first place if we plan seriously in this country. The Nigerian Medical and Dental Council must share in the blame. Whenever it gave approval for establishment of medical schools, it ought to impose quotas on each approved medical school. All medical schools ab initio should be required to indicate where graduates would spend the stipulated one year of housemanship after graduating. The hospitals need not all be teaching hospitals. All specialist hospitals and some good private and general hospitals should be encouraged and funded to take in house officers. There may be need for caution in all and sundry starting medical schools. If we are not careful mushrooming private universities may catch the virus of starting medical schools for profit.

    Now that we know we have this problem the president of our country should issue an executive order immediately and not tomorrow asking the various hospitals afore mentioned to get cracking and solve the problem. Definitely there will be need for special appropriation to be made through the National Assembly and Senate. This problem must be permanently rested and terminated.

    As a professor who knows the challenges facing young people, I cannot fold my hands simply because it is not really my problem. It is everybody’s problem. There will come  a time in this country when old people like me will be challenged by young people for messing up the country if we can not plan well for the future. As leaders, we have become very insensitive to problems of the youth. There seems to be a total disconnect between the people and the leadership. The same disconnect manifests in the way we run the NYSC. Suddenly young people are being fleeced by asking them to pay N5,000 to access the NYSC website to register or get their states of posting ! Yet these young people are giving free service for their country. The same insensitivity led to young people stampeding after paying N1,000 to a private company recruiting immigration officers. Some died in the process including pregnant women. The illegality of the whole thing became clear when the Controller- General of Immigration Department said he knew nothing about the so-called recruitment. A job for the public service commission was firmed out to a powerfully connected company leading to the death of young Nigerians. Up till today no one was held accountable and punished.

    Young people are posted and put in harms way in states where it is generally known there is no security. A few years ago, parents were called to receive the corpses of their children brutally murdered in Plateau and Bauchi states during break-down of law and order. One of the governors of the states had the temerity to say the murder of youth corps members was an act of God. Lord have mercy! If God were man, He would have struck down this erring governor with thunder!

    James Baldwin wrote a book in the 1960s entitled the FIRE NEXT TIME to demonstrate pent-up anger among the youth particularly the black youth if their problems were not addressed. His prophesy came true when young Blacks during the Lyndon Baines Johnson’s presidency started rioting and burning down American cities. Johnson responded by passing a comprehensive Civil Rights Act and embarked on building what he called the Great Society. To his eternal glory, he laid the foundation of what has now been described as an American Century. We should not wait until we have the equivalent of an Arab Spring or a revolt by our youth before embarking on youth-friendly policies at all levels of governments in Nigeria. If we do not do something positive to help the young people of Nigeria, we may all be swept off in the violence and blind fury that are bound to accompany youth frustration, disenchantment, discouragement and disappointment with the status quo.

  • 31 bag First Class as varsity graduates 581

    The Vice-Chancellor of Achievers University in Owo, Ondo State, Prof Tunji Ibiyemi, has called on the Federal Government to extend the tertiary education fund to private universities to enable them contribute their quota to research and development.

    Prof Ibiyemi spoke at the third convocation ceremony of the university during which 581 graduatesreceived degrees in various disciplines. The event was held in the university’s Trinity Auditorium, which was filled to the brim by the graduating students and their guests.

    The breakdown of the number showed that the Faculty of Social and Management Sciences had the highest number of 453 students.  It was followed by the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences.

    Of the graduating students, 31 had First Class, 295 took Second Class (Upper Division), 239, Second Class (Lower Division) and 19, Third Class.

    Prof Ibiyemi said that if the nation was serious about achieving its vision 20:20:20, research and development must be accorded top priority.

    He said: “Our national challenges are surmountable through research and development. All Nigerians are stakeholders. The present restriction put in place against easy access to TETFund research and development grant for tertiary institutions is not acceptable.”

    The VC said private and public universities should be allowed access to TETFund. He tasked the graduands to bring their knowledge to bear on their services to their fatherland.

    The Visitor to the university, Senator Titus Olupitan, said the citadel of learning had grown in leaps and bounds since establishment, pleading with federal and Ondo State government to help in the construction of three kilometre road leading to the institution.

    In their separate addresses, the Chancellor, Senator Bode Olajumoke, and Pro-chancellor, Dr Bode Ayorinde, enjoined the graduands to be good ambassadors of the school. The ceremony featured the conferment of honorary degrees on the former president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and the Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, Gabriel Amuchi.

    Also, prizes were given to best graduating students as Doris Onyeocha stole the show, going home with six awards. She was the best graduating student. Some of the graduands, who spoke with CAMPUSLIFE, thanked God for seeing them through their academic years.