WorldStage Newsonline– The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in Southwest has solicited collaboration between Nigerians universities and private sector in revamping the education sector.
Mr Samuel Kolawole, the chairman of the association who made the observation at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MAN Southwest and the First Technical University, Ibadan on Tuesday said that it was a very good development for a university to consider MoU to try and blend theory with practice.
The event which took place at the premises of the university had the top management of the institution and MAN in attendance.
Kolawole said “We are glad as manufacturers that they have deemed it fit to reach out to practitioners because that is what we are as manufacturers.
“One of the things that people have complained about in the Nigerian educational system is that graduates are not fit for employment.
“Wen you say someone is an engineering graduate in a technical area and he is not able to perform in practice what he has learnt in theory, then there is a problem.
“There is a disconnect between the ivory towers and the practitioners who will put into practice all the research findings and all the knowledge.
“So with this kind of arrangement now it is possible for us to integrate from what the memorandum of understanding contains.
“It means that research that is done in this university can be practicalised in the organisations of our members in the processes that we go through,” he said.
Kolawole who is also the Managing Director of University Press Plc., said that the MoU, if well implemented, would allow students of the university to have first-hand experience of what manufacturing is all about right from the onset.
“What they are being taught in theory they can go and be experienced in our members’ organisations and that is also a good thing.
“If that is done it means the gap between the theory and practical would be bridged.
“It has also been said that many fantastic research findings from the Nigerian institution lie there just published in journals that are not taking into practice.
“This kind of MoU will ensure that findings from this university can be practised in the various organisations where they will be useful to the society.
“There is a lot to learn and there is a lot to gain in this kind of understanding that the university is signing with the MAN, especially within this environment in which the university is located,” he said.
In his remarks, Prof. Ayobami Salami, the Vice-Chancellor, First Technical University, said that the need for industry expertise and bridging the gap for a robust education necessitated the MoU.
Salami noted that the university would ensure that the collaboration with MAN was implemented to produce the set goals outlined by the institution.
“Let me say that from the onset as a university, we recognised the critical role the manufacturing association of Nigeria took in achieving the aims and objectives and the vision and mission of this university.
“After my coming in 2017 and then we want to start the academic programme in 2018, we brought in the first set of students in January 2018 we tried to look at the curricula of the university.
“Because one major problem we have at universities is that graduates are not fit for the market and it is unfortunate for most of the graduates not all of them.
“But the reality as at now is that most of the graduates are not fit for the market and one of the objectives of this university as a technical university not a university of technology was to produce graduates who fit perfectly into the market.
“I keep on telling people that there is a difference and not only a difference but a gulf between technical university and university of technology. ”
Salami further noted that technical university is about teaching students theory, processes and products that distinguishes it from University of technology.
He said that graduates we’re supposed to be able to identify problems, proffer solutions and implement it.
