Rt Hon Adebo Ogundoyin, the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly has expressed delight at the strides recorded by Nigeria’s premier Technical University, First Technical University (Tech-U), Ibadan since it began academic activities two years ago.
Hon Ogundoyin made this known on Tuesday when he led some other lawmakers on a working visit to the Oyo State-owned Institution.
“To be honest, there has been a lot of development put in place within the short term this University started. I am more than impressed by what I have seen on ground and the future plans of Tech-U. Being a University owned by the State, I believe this is something that we as citizens of Oyo State can be proud of.”
He congratulated the management of the University for sustaining the vision of the institution.
Speaking further, he said, “The uniqueness and the great strides being made by this University is credit to our people. The vision I have for the First Technical University is the same our fore fathers had for the University of Ibadan and it is for its prestige and integrity to last forever.
The Speaker, who inspected facilities available at the University, pledged the administration’s support for Tech-U.
“We in the legislative arm will always be in support of the First Technical University in terms of favourable policy formulation, in line with the vision of Governor Seyi Makinde who has placed high priority on educational development, and as a means of communication between you and the executive.
“We recognize the vision as that of a unique citadel of learning where there is more emphasis on practice than theory. Ours is an administration of integrity and transparency and I am here to promise that Tech-U will remain prestigious now and in the long run”.
Expressing concern about the rise in unemployment and skills deficit in the country, Hon. Ogundoyin called for more entrepreneurial training for youths to make them skillfully and technically competent to confront Nigeria’s developmental challenges.
According to him, it is time for a review of the nation’s educational system at all levels to accommodate more technical and professional training to empower the country’s youths to become jobs and wealth creators.
Hon. Ogundoyin noted that as a University Tech-U must carve a niche for itself as a trail blazer in the provision of functional education for technological innovation and advancement.
While speaking earlier, the Vice Chancellor, Tech-U, Prof. Ayobami Salami who welcomed the leadership of the 9th Oyo Assembly to the university premises, said the present educational system in the country is dysfunctional and needs urgent recalibration.
Prof. Salami said the recent Webometric ranking of the Tech-U as the 43rd out of 252 higher institutions in Nigeria is a manifestation of its promising commitment to changing the narrative of the Nigerian education landscape.
He maintained that it is the vision of the University to become Nigeria’s first self-sustain university, adding that aside from their regular academic programmes, Tech-U students are mandated to acquire Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Skills.
The Vice Chancellor expressed optimism that the University will grow in leaps and bounds if there is a synergy and working relationship between the technocrats in the institution and the various arms of government in Oyo state.
Packaged by Oludotun Ajibola
