By Nmerichukwu Igweamaka
Former Osun State governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, on Monday told graduating students of Fountain University, Osogbo, not to look for jobs after graduation, except teaching.
Aregbesola, who spoke at the 8th convocation of the university, where he was honoured with a doctorate in science, said the gradaunds should think of being self-employed and employ five other people.
He decried the inability of the nation’s education system to solve some of the basic challenges facing the country, adding that Nigeria’s knowledge base was low and it had led to low productivity among the graduates.
Aregbesola said, “To me education is the means through which a good society can be guaranteed. The objectives of education include character formation, social responsibility, value orientation and financial independence. As a result, the university as the pinnacle of education, must set goals for itself and the society.
“Our knowledge base as a country is low, judging by the low knowledge productivity of Nigeria. Skills and competence to build a good society are still missing. I want to urge you gradaunds to go out and demonstrate what you have acquired during your school days, struggle to create and be of good character because character is key. Don’t bother to look for jobs. Make effort to be self-employed and employ five others.”
Also, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Amidu Sanni, said the institution’s management had reviewed the curricula that had been in operation in the past 10 years without undermining the approved Nigeria Universities Commission’s Basic Minimum Academic Standard.
He added that the university’s Senate had approved 38 new programmes for NUC’s consideration.
According to Sannni, the programmes include Islamic and Common Law, Metrology, Electronics with Computer Science, Engineering Physics, Nursing, Public Health and Environmental Health Sciences, among others.