Delta State Governor Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has called for a review of the curricula of tertiary institutions with emphasis on skill acquisition and entrepreneurial leadership development to drive the economic diversification of the country.
Governor Okowa who made the call at the weekend during the 10thconvocation ceremony of the Delta State University, Abraka [DELSU] , said that tertiary institutions should focus on raising entrepreneurial leaders, wealth creators and change agents in the society who would drive the much needed economic diversification.
“There is the need for a painstaking review of the curricula of our tertiary institutions with strong emphasis on skill acquisition, not certificate acquisition, and leadership development as against rote learning. A situation where billions of naira is spent by companies and government in retraining graduates from our universities is no longer acceptable”, he said.
He charged universities to carry out researches on the myriad of problems besetting the society for sustainable national growth stating that since government alone could not fund education, tertiary institutions should establish endowment funds to boost researches.
Senator Okowa charged tertiary institutions in the state not to depend wholly on government funding but intensify their internal revenue generation warning that “all internal generated revenues must be properly budgeted and accounted for as it is unrealistic and unacceptable under the new policy thrust of this administration for institutions to generate billions of naira in internal revenue and still expect government to fund all their expectation”.
While congratulating the graduands, the governor charged them to become the 21st century leader that the nation needs. “a leader that is a dynamic thinker, risk taker and quick to adapt to changing situations”
He commended the Governing Council and Management team for their commitment, infrastructural development and prudence in building a reputable university based on academic excellence and a culture of corporate governance, urging them to maintain the current mutual working relationship among them.
“I am particularly impressed with your commitment to prudent management which has help you to develop the school and get license from NBC to operate an FM radio station. You have not compromised your efforts to achieve set goals, enforce discipline and attain high academic standards in line with expectation of the government.”, he said.
While commending the management of the school, Governor Okowa also offered automatic employment to the best graduating student of 2014/15 session, Mr. Marcus Ossaiugbo from Mathematics department and promised to send him abroad to study for his PhD.
In a welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of the School, Professor Victor Peretomode, stated that the graduands of the 2014/15 session was made up of 47 PHD holders, 431 Master degree holders, 243 Post graduate Diploma, 5811 Bachelor degree and 485 Diploma holders.
He observed that the school ranked 60th position among universities in Africa and the 20th in Nigeria and that the institution has accredited most of its faculties except for Engineering and Law.
Earlier, the governor commissioned various projects built by the school with its internally generated revenue (IGR), the projects are internal link roads with drainage and solar lights, physiology laboratory and gym, the 450 meters covered walkway and 200 capacity lecture theatre in the Faculty of Education.
Others are the 200 capacity lecture theatre for school of Post-Graduate Studies, two sewage trucks, an ambulance for the school Health Centre and a tractor for the Agricultural department.
