The Rector, Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Dr Adeoye Odedeji, has said that skills acquisition will ensure Nigeria becomes an economy that can flourish based on individual competence.
He stated this during the matriculation ceremony of 3,600 students for the 2022/2023 academic session, held recently at the institution’s premises in Abeokuta.
The Rector, therefore, urged the new intake to take advantage of the skills acquisition programme in becoming self-reliant at the end of their programmes.
Odedeji explained that the state-owned institution had continued to enjoy the support of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), hinting that TETFund had provided the institution with N130 million to train and empower students in skills acquisition.
The rector noted that polytechnic education remains unique, saying the institution had been given the mandate to ensure that skills, rather than knowledge and understanding, be inculcated in the students.
He added that the institution already had a centre sponsored by TETFund with construction completed and established.
Odedeji explained that the essence of the fund from TETFund was to procure tools that would enable the institution to actually fulfill the mandate.
He added that the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) had approved the structure for the implementation of the mandate.
According to Odedeji, skills acquisition will ensure Nigeria becomes an economy that can flourish based on individual competence.
“Having acquired relevant skills, individuals will be useful for themselves and also be useful to the nation because that is the only thing we can use to grow the economy.
“The economy can not grow based on people after graduating and searching for jobs that are not in existence,” he said.
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