Former Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG), and the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), Okitipupa, Prof Tolu Odugbemi, has said students of faith-based universities have a responsibility to live up to the ideals their institutions projet.
As faith based institutions, Odugbemi noted that the world seems to pay most attention to them than others to ensure they are truly entrenching their much emphasised values in their students.
Odugbemi gave the advice while delivering the second distinguished lecture of Mountain Top University (MTU) Ogun State, at the institution’s second matriculation.
Addressing the lecture titled: “Fundamental issues in running a new university in Nigeria”, Odugbemi lamented that the ugliness in education in Nigeria today could be attributed to wrong policies and self centeredness of those charged to execute them.
“Instead of our present education system propelling us forward in development, we face a gloomy state of decay because of wrong ideas and teaching that made ‘self’ instead of the ‘society’ the centre of development.
“There are supervisory bodies set up to monitor growth and development of education in our schools. Members of such supervisory bodies are generally uninformed about the duties and responsibilities attached to their offices. While some work very hard for excellence, others see membership of such bodies as opportunities to make it. Even the funds for execution of such projects are usually taken to be ‘for sharing,’” he said
Odugbemi said such wrong policies have translated to decay in infrastructure leading to poor quality graduates particularly in public schools nationwide.
He therefore tasked the management of MTU to set their priorities right and come up with innovations that would propel the institution to greatness.
Further, the professor of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, identified parameters for institutions bent on attaining world class. They include: institutional governance, human resources with right qualification, work ethics, aggressive funding, quality of programmes, and Information and Communications Technology, among others, adding that an investment in entrepreneurship education as well as in science, technology and innovation, also place young universities at a better advantage.
In his address, the Vice Chancellor, MTU, Prof Elijah Ayolabi, said the university, which took off last year with five programmes approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC), now runs 20 academic programmes across two colleges, in addition to pre-degree and foundation programmes.
He said “every-student-a-musician-scheme” of the university, ensures each undergraduate is trained to handle a musical instrument with proficiency, while its entrepreneurship programmes train students on vocational skills based on their interest.”
To encourage scholarship, he noted that MTU has rolled out special packages for its undergraduates on first class grade.
Visitor to the university and founder Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM) Ministry, Dr Daniel Kolawole Olukoya, who was represented by the assistant vice president, Kehinde Agbolahan, said MFM is dynamic among other faith-based universities nationwide because of its humanitarian gesture.
“It (MTU) is established not as a profit generating outfit but as a tool to impact lives and a platform for evangelism. In this regard, we established a foundation that sources for funds to finance the education of indigent but brilliant students of the university. More than 30 students in 200-Level are beneficiaries of various categories of sponsorship from the foundation. A further demonstration of this is the free distribution of electronic mobile learning device known as tablet to all pioneer students,” he said.
