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By Vivian Onyebukwa
Highstone Global, Texas, USA, an affiliate of NIPEM Professional Education Management International, held its 2023 convocation and matriculation recently. The theme of the event, which took place at Lagos State University (LASU), was centered on ICT.
In his remarks, the President, NIPEM Professional Education Management International, Professor Maurice Azubuike Odiete, stated that the current era is all about ICT, adding that everything is digital, all about artificial intelligence. He said: “Virtually all sectors are using, employing the utility of artificial intelligence. So, the central thing today, was borne out of the desire to allow the undergraduates, even the graduating students to utilize the skill or the tools in ICT to upgrade or to assist their professional callings. It doesn’t matter the profession you are in. Whether you are in business admin, healthcare management, or any department, ICT is the general driver”.
According to Odiete, the idea was borne out of the reality to let the students know that one is not limited to ICT even if the person does not study computer science. He noted the need to catch them young in ICT, expressing the necessity for a change in the school curriculum development in primary schools to enhance computer education.
“This is why I said earlier that the federal government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Education and the Centre For Research and Curriculum Development Service should try to redefine and restructure school curriculum to meet up with advanced countries, and if you look at some of these advanced progressive nations you see that Nigeria is lagging behind.”
He envisaged that the problem will remain even in the higher institutions until the government comes out with a drastic decision to this effect. “There are professors today who wouldn’t want any change because they don’t want to adapt to changes. They are not used to ICT and bringing it up, to them is going to take their position or job, and it will be a difficult thing in Nigeria. No matter what you do now, they are still castigating and condemning the utility of ICT in education, but there are people who are learning, applying for studies, degrees and they are doing very well online,” he said.
He expressed optimism that with a good minister or commissioner of education, the grassroots would be able to utilize the ICT starting from the primary, which will go a long way in bringing Nigeria back to a normal state. On why ICT is coming now that supportive power infrastructure is non-existence, he said that power failure has been a long standing issue and also pofferd a solution to it.
He said: “People or the schools majorly will go a long way in orientation. If you are doing ICT at the primary or secondary school level, you are doing it once in a week which will go a long way to foster development, especially technology in the country. So, power failure wouldn’t be an excuse. If they can just apply it, I think we will record some measures of success at the long run”.
He then advised youths to be focused, saying that with the Yahoo syndrome, so many young boys want to make it at all cost. “Some are having lack of desire to study even when they are given the opportunity. We have given some students the opportunity to come and study, pay very minimal rate, but they don’t want. But you find out that anything you give out freely, people don’t appreciate it. So, we have devised a strategy for people to take this programme serious; we have to also charge, at discounted rate, not just as it was before”
Dr. Ebenezer Deborah Orji, Registrar NIPEM Professional Education Management International, advised the students to be entrepreneurs especially with the era of ICT. She noted that there are some people that are not so interested in entrepreneurship.
“They still feel that they should work under somebody and they are okay with it. But being an entrepreneur is very good. It keeps you and your senses alert. It keeps you always getting ready, planning ahead of what is going to happen,. You need to be ahead of your customers, staff and your competitors. So, being an entrepreneur is quiet welcoming.”
Orji admonished them, saying: “This is just the beginning of your lives. You need to put things together, get set for the future and make it real. It is not about getting certificate, but about being able to defend the certificate.”
Nigerian representative of Highstone Global University, Dr Harriet Chimezie Onyemeforo, described entrepreneurship as the practical aspect to every education. According to her, some youth perceive education as a scam.
“Education, for me, remains a bedrock for every sustainable society. I want to believe that our youths should believe in the Nigeria they are in. They should believe that things that are sustainable will stand the test of time,” she said.
She cautioned them about get rich quick syndrome, which might end up endangering their lives. She, therefore, advised parents to train their children in an inclusive education, and allow them to choose their own career.
“They should be able to allow these children to go through or choose what they have passion for. They should not be compelled to be what their parents want them to be. I believe that every child has an instinct, a born instinct that will make him or her to be great. If children are allowed to choose courses or career they want to run through, I think at the end of the day, they will have a better choice of life and would do well,” she posited.
The co-host and Africa Vice Chancellor, Highstone Global University, Prof. Valentine Iheukwumere, advised the federal government to look into the area of strike by the lecturers, which has affected the education curriculum. He also expressed concern over the remuneration of lecturers.
“I know that salaries of some other government officials have been increased. They need to look into that of the education system so that the teachers will be happy and do their work well,” he said.
Honorary doctorate degree awards were given to some individuals for their contributions towards the progree of education. Among them were Rev Audrey Aduaye Odiete, Princess Sandra Emeka-Ezenwanne and Innocent Onyedi. Also, some outstanding students and staff who have done excellently well were honoured.
