A don, Professor Taiwo Edun, has called for the review of Nigeria’s education policy such that entrepreneurship tutoring can focus more on self-discovery.
Taiwo, who is a Professor of Sociology of Education and Head, Department of Educational Foundations and Counseling at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, made the call while delivering the 101st Inaugural Lecture of the university.
In a lecture titled, “Rethinking Education for Gainful Employment in Nigeria: A Sociological Imagination”, the university researcher stated that the teaching of entrepreneurship should be reviewed across all levels of the education system.
He argued that doing so would turn the fortunes of the country around towards economic prosperity despite the threat of an imminent collapse of the nation’s economy.
He opined that self-discovery should be given the pride of place in the education curriculum.
According to him, “the goal of entrepreneurship education at the university level should not be to turn graduates to artisans but to stimulate their creativity and innovative competence to generate fresh ideals and develop prototypes for artisans to duplicate”.
Edun added that government should endeavour to make available the critical infrastructure as well as rejig fiscal and monetary policies.
The don also admonished the government to steadily improve the ease of doing business in order to enable entrepreneurship thrive.
“The social investment schemes of the government should be expanded and graduated through proper funding and transparent management to guarantee livelihood for the majority of unemployed youths until such a time that the economy will open up enough to provide them with gainful employment which will help to stem insecurity in the country”, he stated.
The lecturer also highlighted some of the coordinating factors for improved livelihood among Nigerians.
In his words, “I hold the strong belief that Nigeria is better together because many of the largest and most complex federations in the world are also among the strongest and most prosperous countries.
“We are at a critical point in our history where the basis of our unity should be renegotiated to renew the commitment of mutual suspicion, indolence and mono economy which are antithetical to gainful employment.
“Huge resources that should have gone into education and development are being committed to endless wars against ourselves.
“Since no nation can fight against herself and win, government should set the machinery in motion to dialogue with all groups and address genuine concerns with a view to arriving at an equitable structure for the generation and distribution of resources as a necessary condition for building a peaceful and inclusive society”, Ẹdun submitted.
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