President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Tuesday, said his administration recognises that sustainable economic transformation could not be achieved without corresponding investment in human capital development.
He said this informed the reforms being implemented to create an educational system that responds to the needs of the Nigerian economy and society while positioning learners and institutions to compete effectively in the global knowledge economy.
The President spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State, while declaring open the 37th Annual Conference and General Assembly of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU), themed ‘Building Resilient Universities for Nigeria,’ held at the University of Ilorin.
President Tinubu, who was represented by Suwaibat Sa’id Ahmad, Professor and Minister of State for Education, said universities are much more than institutions for awarding degrees, describing them as centres of knowledge creation, innovation, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, cultural development and national transformation.
He described universities as critical partners in the Federal Government’s development agenda, stressing the need for them to produce graduates capable of responding to the realities of a rapidly changing global economy.
The President pointed out that the Federal Ministry of Education is implementing the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative, with particular focus on institutional governance, quality assurance, research and innovation, digital transformation, skills development and stronger university-industry linkages.
He said the government is seeking to build universities capable of producing graduates who are not only academically sound but also innovative, ethical, digitally competent, entrepreneurial, adaptable and equipped to solve real-world problems.
‘We must continue to strengthen systems that promote student welfare, safety, inclusion, mental and psychosocial well-being, and academic success.
‘The Federal Government’s student financing interventions, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, are intended to reduce financial barriers to tertiary education and expand opportunities for qualified Nigerians.
‘However, financial support must be complemented by quality academic programmes, adequate infrastructure, effective student support services, and an environment conducive to learning.
‘Therefore, we must ensure that no talented Nigerian is denied the opportunity to fulfil their potential because of economic circumstances,’ he said.
President Tinubu also charged Nigerian universities to move beyond the traditional focus on awarding degrees and reposition themselves as centres of innovation, practical skills, research and national development.
He said the government is moving away from a predominantly theoretical approach to education towards a system that places greater emphasis on practical learning.
‘We are moving away from 70% theory and 30% practical to a robust 80% practical and 20% theory,’ he said.
But Ishaq Oloyede, Professor of Islamic Studies and immediate past Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), seeks sustainable university funding
Oloyede emphasised the need for sustainable funding and stronger collaboration among stakeholders in the university system, as he identified funding, technology, human capital and environmental sustainability as some of the major pressures confronting Nigerian universities.
He urged stakeholders to change their approach to the education system, stressing the need to assess students more effectively across teaching and learning, research and innovation, human capital development, administration and community service.
According to him, building financial sustainability remains critical to the survival and development of universities.
He said the government must recognise that universities require adequate and sustainable funding to deliver quality education and conduct research that addresses societal challenges.
Oloyede also called for research to be driven by relevance to humanity, while urging universities to strengthen networking and develop curricula that respond to digital transformation and emerging global trends.
The Kwara State Government also highlighted its investment in education, noting that the State had introduced the KwaraLEARN programme to strengthen supervision and improve teaching and learning in public primary schools, particularly in rural communities.
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, represented by Lawal Olohungbebe, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development and Supervising Commissioner for Tertiary Education, stated that the State remains committed to investing heavily in education while monitoring students’ development from the basic education level.
He said the State is strengthening basic education to better prepare pupils before they progress to tertiary institutions.
He said, ‘With KwaraLEARN, we are able to supervise every teacher in the class. Who is in the class, who is not in the class, and not just being in the class. What are you doing in the class?’