The Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has said establishment of universities by people with no pedigree or experience in education management may turn out to be counter productive for the country.
He also attributed poor quality of graduates coming from the nation’s universities to the large scale corruption permeating university and entire Nigeria education system.
Oloyede stated this while delivering a key note address at the opening session of Conference on Islamic Universities organised by the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), with the theme: “Islamic universities: Integration of Knowledge and Sustainability,” at Amina Namadi Sambo Auditorium, Fountain University, Osogbo, Osun state capital.
He observed that corruption has in no small measure, affected the quality and value of university education in the contemporary world, saying: “the idea of the university in the contemporary world has become so corrupted that it is gradually losing its eternal and ethereal quality and value.”
Oloyede also frowned at the way universities are being established like business organisations, saying “they are being established by those with little or no pedigree in education as a whole and Islamic education in particular.
“Nowadays, the pursuit of knowledge for knowledge sake has become arcane and trite; nowadays, universities are being established just like companies and business outfits are registered and established.”
He then charged Islamic universities to improve more in the area of research, advised them to partner with other institutes for knowledge production.
“In the area of research outputs, Islamic universities should review existing but moribund memoranda of understanding which most of them have entered into over the years either with similar universities or with others that may be referred to as conventional universities.
“It has become more urgent than ever before that Islamic universities forge newer partnerships, explore and exploit areas of mutual advantages with the sole purpose of facilitating sustainable knowledge Integration, knowledge production, knowledge distribution and knowledge consumption.”
In his remarks, Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, described education that does not prepare the recipient to be self efficient as “a waste.”
The president, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, lauded Fountain University management for the conference.
Sultan who was represented by Professor Daud Noibi, urged the university not to relent in pro of knowledge, especially as demanded by Islam.
BOLA BAMIGBOLA, Osogbo
