Experts have called on universities in the country to initiate academic programmes capable of producing graduates who would become employers of labour rather than employment seekers.
The experts drawn from within and outside the country reached the decision at the end of an economic roundtable conference held at the University of Uyo and organised by the Faculty of Business Administration of the University to brainstorm on national economic issues of global concern.
The experts after a careful appraisal of the country’s educational system agreed that the country has a faulted educational system that is not functional to the needs of the people and the economy.
“Nigerian universities graduates are not equipped to impact positively in the present day economy. They are not trained to engage usefully in the Nigerian economy. Their mind-set has to change.
“We continue to teach students the same thing, year in year out and expecting a different result that is not possible. We don’t consider the dynamic nature of the economy.
“We have to change the educational system so that when the students graduate from the university they can easily fit into the economic system of the country”. The conference noted.
They urged authorities of Nigerian universities to adopt academic programs that would make graduates to be functional and employable in the economy. Right now we have graduates who are only consumers.
While acknowledging the fact that the country has a public service dominated economy they called for reorientation as the thousands of students who pass out of university annually cannot depend solely on government jobs.
In their position, “the government cannot create all the jobs that we need in this country, as managers university education we have to be futuristic in thinking and draw up programs that would make our graduates marketable in our current economy.
Earlier, Leo Ukpong a professor of financial economics and Dean, Faculty of Business Administration, University of Uyo, said the conference aimed to review the socio cultural and economic situation in the country with a view to proffering solutions.
Paul Nwulu, Programme Officer, who represented, Fond Foundation, sponsor of the conference, said research conducted by his organisation indicated that unemployment is the major cause of insurgency in Nigeria.
According to him the country has graduated accountant, engineers and all that who graduated over 5 years ago without jobs.
The state government pays over 90 percent of its allocation on salaries and services of loans, so no capital projects nor job creation.
Before 1960, agriculture was the primary source of revenue used in the development of small scale industries that was generating revenue to the nation.
When oil was discovered, agriculture was forgotten and our attention focused on oil for development purposes that was Nigeria greatest mistake. We are paying the price now.
Nigerian depends on only one sector of the economy to develop the nation which is the problem. When the price of oil drops we tend to suffer the effect more than other oil producing countries.
The conference had, Ntiedo Umoren, professor of Decision Science, Faculty of Business Administration, UNIUYO, Dal Dedia and Okechukwu Anyamale, professors of Economics and Finance, Jackson State University, MS, USA as panellist.
Topics discussed include, Monetary and Fiscal Policy, Exchange rates policy, Unemployment and the political Economy of Niger Delta region.
The round table conference which has now become an annual event is aimed at reviewing the Socio-cultural and economic situation in the country with a view to proffering solution to the government.
ANIEFIOK UDONQUAK, Uyo
