Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has said there is need for continued partnership with the private sector to meet the education needs of Nigerians.
He also called on the regulators of the sector to ensure they sustain needed standards, so that Nigeria and the African Continent would not be disconnected from the rest of the world.
He spoke at the 20th Convocation ceremony of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, where the school renamed its teaching hospital after the president and founder of Christ Embassy, Rev. Chris Oyakhilome. It also confered honourary doctorate degrees on him and Princess Osula Mku-Atu.
Represented by the Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo, Osinbajo said: “You will recall that the first government university in Nigeria, the University of Ibadan was founded in 1948 today, there are 43 federal universities and 48 state universities in the country. This shows that it has taken both the federal and the state governments 74 years to establish 91 universities whereas it has only taken the private sector 23 years to establish 79 universities. This reaffirms the need to deepen our partnership with the private sector.”
Speaking on educational standard and quality, he said: “I am referencing the speech of former Prime Minister of the Republic of Guinea. It is no longer news that the world is a global village, universities across Africa must align with international best practices to deliver standards and qualitative education to their students. Anything short of this, our continent will be uncompetitive.”
Earlier, the former Prime Minister of Republic of Guinea, Kabine Komara delivered the convocation lecture entitled “The Role of Universities in Promoting Socio-Economic Integration in Africa.”
The Chancellor of the University, the Esama of Benin, Gabriel Igbinedion, said he renamed the teaching hospital from Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital to Chris Oyakhilome Igbinedion University Teaching Hospital, “In recognition of your sterling qualities and significant contribution to the upliftment of mankind, and your exceptional devotion to the healing ministry”
In his convocation address, Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye said no fewer than 16,000 students have graduated from the university since inception and this year’s event produced 691 graduates and post graduates, 40 PhDs, 82 masters, 12 post-graduate and 81 unclassified.
