Akeredolu Urges Upgrade Of Varsities’ Curriculum To Address Unemployment
The Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has tasked higher institutions in the country to embark on curriculum upgrade that would address the challenges of unemployment.
Akeredolu said such an upgrade would make the University graduates job creators rather than job seekers.
Speaking at the seventh Convocation ceremony of the institution, where 9, 812 graduating students comprising 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 sets received certificates for various degrees, the governor called for a change of attitude among education stakeholders such that the goals of education in societal development would be easily realised.
Akeredolu who assured that his administration would continue to support Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), noted that the gesture would make the institution to achieve the purpose for which it was established.
According to him, education would continue to be the pride of the state, adding that his administration would use education as a vehicle for socio-economic engineering.
In his address, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Igbekele Ajibefun, stated that the institution has made a loud statement to the World that graduation is not just an event, but about contributions to knowledge production and societal development.
Ajibefun said that the University has lived up to its mandate to effect change and carve a niche for itself in a nation that is continuously churning out unemployable and jobless graduates.
Giving the statistics of the graduates, he noted that out of a grand total of 9,812 that received various degrees, 7,786 belonged to the 2014/2015 academic session, while 2,026 were of the 2015/2016 academic session.
He added that, “Of the 7,624 that earned First Degree in the 2014/2015 session, 29 graduated with First Class Honours; 1,316 bagged Second Class Upper Division; 5,183 earned Second Class Lower Division, 1,027 had Third Class Honours, while 69 got Pass Degree.
“In the postgraduate category, 16 bagged Doctor of Philosophy Ph.D; 128 earned Master’s degrees, while 18 had Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE).
“Of the 2,026 that graduated in the 2015/2016 session, 21earned First Class, 609 graduated in Second Class Upper Division, 1,151 bagged Second Class Lower Division, 239 got Third Class, while six had Pass Degree.”
Those that were conferred with the University’s Honorary Doctorate Degree include the Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Doctor of Letters (D. Litt.); Engr Julius Ajibulu, Doctor of Science (D.SC.) and Sir Adebutu Kesington, Doctor of Business Administration (D.BA).
In his response on behalf of the Awardees, Owelle Rochas Okorocha appreciated the institution for the honour done them, saying that the award will further strengthen the bridge of unity from the South East to the South West regions.
Okorocha, while congratulating the graduating students, enjoined them to aspire for greatness, develop an attitude of success, be bold and communicate wide for more successes in their future endeavours.
