Dr. David Oyedepo calls on varsities to proffer solution to the country’s security challenges
Founder, Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo
The Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Dr. David Oyedepo, has called on universities to go beyond the traditional role of teaching and respond to the security challenges in the country.
Oyedepo threw the challenge at the university’s ninth convocation on Friday where 82 of the 1,334 graduands bagged first class degrees.
Twenty-year-old Jamachi Oputa, from the Department of Computer Science, emerged the best graduating student with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.98.
In his address titled “Towards the Way out for a Nation under Trial,” Oyedepo urged tertiary institutions to prove their relevance by engaging in research that will solve the country’s problems.
He said, “In my view, a university is a place where solutions to societal problems are found and value added to humanity. The real worth of a university is only determined by the problems it solves and the solutions it proffers.
“A religious war is looming. In fact, in some parts of the nation, that war, in my view, has already broken out. To pretend not to see this simply amounts to hypocrisy. We must therefore not politicise this issue. Action is not only needed but a timely action must also be taken.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Governor on Economic Policy, Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Sarah Alade, has called on stakeholders to address the sundry issues facing the education sector.
In her address, Rethinking the Concept of National Transformation: Role of Higher Education Institutions, Alade identified factors, such as skill gaps, inconsistent education policy, malpractice and corruption as challenges facing the education sector.
“Improving funding, realigning the curricula to developmental needs, providing linkages with industries and businesses and building partnership with similar institutions are desirable for enhanced higher education institutions. These measures will help in achieving a continuous pipeline of qualified graduates with requisite skills, passion and integrity to contribute positively to the national transformation agenda.’’ (Punch)