By Samuel O. Ojo
Today, the complaints are all against the Government. Though , the government has its own part in the failing system yet we thank God for re- awakening technical schools in the Country.
We have numerous universities (Public and Private) with astronomical fees on the raw materials always available.
Some of these universities only exist to make profits, fame and for identication in the society but of no developmental values to the society.
There is no clear disciple, you can see universities of Agriculture going into Medicine, Land survey , banking and other irrelevant programmes that contribute nothing to the core values of Agriculture.
Polytechnics are numerous in numbers but instead of truly being technical schools, they are busy promoting disciplines like marketing, business administration and accounting instead of skill acquisition programmes.
As at today, the creativity of inventions are lacking in most of these institutoons. Can you identify any polytechnic in Nigeria that innovates farm tools, bicycle or motor parts? Apparently none.
Graduate unemployment will continue to be on the increase until the government restructures the curriculum of these citadels of learning.
Where are the teacher training schools?Where are the courses that teach moral values? Where are the foreign teachers in most universities that can attract foreign exchange? Where are the foreign researches and the funding.
I appreciate the new initiative of the Federal Government on trade technical schools. It is through this process that we can have technical breakthroughs, if allowed to survive.
What is happening to our storage facilities for our products in this season? Orange, plantains, pine apples, yams, maize etc are now wasting on the streets without a thought for preservation. Yet we have professors and many erudite scholars with certificates but nothing in practice.
What is the value and relevance of these institutions to their immediate communities? What can they boast of as a support to the needs of their communities?
We are becoming a nation without a direction. l think it is time to evaluate these institutions in line with the needs of the society.
It is always salary agitation and review. Let them stand for relevance to alleviate the sufferings in the land.
Building overhead bridges is a modern day innovation to our government. What a bad vision and in this period of lack. Overhead bridge construction is a misplaced value going by the myriad of problems threatening the wellbeing of the people.
Overseas, you see countless overhead bridges in bushes. Why is it our pride of achievement in Nigeria when major roads are fast becoming dead traps?
Government should revisit the concept of the NYSC insecurity today which has under valued its relevance.
Instead of the NYSC, let all young graduates go for military training as done in Israel.
Let us wake up to our basic responsibilities to complement the effort of the government. Government cannot do it alone.
Ojo, a public analyst and former spokesman of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Ondo State, writes from Akure
