Jonathan laments lack of adequate skills among Nigerian graduates

Ilorin- President Goodluck Jonathan on
Wednesday described as unfortunate the lack
of adequate skills among Nigerian graduates.

The president spoke in Ilorin during the 29th
convocation ceremony of the University of
Ilorin.

Jonathan, who was represented by the
Supervising Minister of Education, Mr Nyesom
Wike, said universities should be agents of
change.

The president declared as intolerable a
situation whereby a large number of graduates
produced by universities lack relevant skills due to poor training.

"University teachers must re-orient themselves
and avoid distractions at work occasioned by
unnecessary strikes which remain the bane of
our educational system with its attendant
consequences,'' he said.
He called on the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) to call off its strike and
allow reason to prevail in the interest of the
country and the students.

The president said that government would
continue to address the challenges facing the
country's university system.

"The Federal Government is leaving no stone
unturned in the quest to transform Nigerian
universities to make them globally competitive.

"With 129 universities and several other higher
institutions, the country has no reason to lag
behind in the quest for technological
development,'' he added.

Jonathan also advised universities to mobilise
funds by commercialising their expertise and
research efforts to supplement government
grants.

He said the problem of funding should be
tackled from all fronts while all stakeholders
must be involved in cost-sharing for the
country to have standard universities.
The president said his government had
increased the budget for education
progressively from N234.8 billion in 2010 to
N426.5 billion in 2013, with N55.4 billion
allocated to the university subsector alone.

"Barely a month ago, the Federal Government
released the sum of N130 billion to universities
for infrastructure development and payment of
earned allowances to staff,'' he said.

He congratulated the institution's vice
chancellor, Prof. Abdulganiyu Ambali, the
senate, management and staff as well as
students of the university.
The president said the knowledge and skills the
graduating students had acquired would guide
them in their various endeavours and service to
the nation.

Earlier, Ambali had congratulated the
graduating students on the feats recorded and
charged them to work hard so that they would
stand out from the crowd.

"It has been observed that hard work does not
kill, therefore, be focused on your dream. If you
work hard, things will work well for you and
Nigeria,'' he added.

Ambali, in his address entitled, "Winners you
are," urged the graduating students to be good
ambassadors of their parents and their alma
mater.

"You should be reminded that University of
Ilorin stands for standard, excellence, probity
and integrity and that is what we expect you to
preach when you get to the field.

"Let these values continue to guide you as you
seek your place in the world, winners, they say
don't quit and quitters don't win.

"Winners you are! Continue to work hard and
you shall continue to win and overcome
challenges of life,'' Ambali said.

The vice chancellor said a total of 6,851
students graduated with first degrees while 969
bagged higher degrees.