Gbenga Sodeinde in Ado Ekiti
The Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Dr. Tunji Olowolafe, has counseled the Ekiti State Government for establishing six technical faculties throughout the state, describing the initiative as a strategic funding able to equipping younger folks with sensible expertise wanted for the longer term economic system.
Olowolafe, nonetheless, pressured that the initiative would require sustained funding in infrastructure, trendy gear, curriculum improvement and manpower to maximise its influence and meet the rising demand for technical training throughout the state.
He spoke whereas delivering the lead paper on the Ekiti at 30 Future Summit, the place Governor Biodun Oyebanji declared that Ekiti should transfer past merely figuring out its alternatives and start translating them into tangible prosperity by way of innovation, expertise and productiveness.
Delivering the keynote deal with, Oyebanji stated the state should embrace new approaches to data, enterprise and improvement because it prepares for the following part of its development. He described the Ekiti Knowledge Zone as a landmark initiative able to breaking worldwide obstacles in data, expertise and enterprise, whereas positioning the state to compete extra successfully within the world economic system.
In his lecture entitled, “The Path to Ekiti’s Greatness: Opportunities, Choices, and Imperatives for the Next 30 Years,” Olowolafe additionally counseled successive administrations, conventional rulers, group leaders and different stakeholders for their contributions to the event of Ekiti over the past three a long time, significantly within the training sector.
The Are-Ekiti-born tutorial stated the state’s longstanding fame as a centre of instructional excellence had given it a comparative benefit that ought to now be intentionally transformed into technical expertise, entrepreneurship, employment and sustainable wealth creation.
While acknowledging the institution of six technical faculties by the state authorities, the EKSU Chancellor stated the establishments ought to be expanded and strengthened to serve younger folks throughout the 16 native authorities areas.
He advocated the modernisation of their curricula, improved infrastructure, acquisition of up to date gear and sustained funding in manpower improvement to make sure that the universities remained related to the calls for of a quickly altering world economic system.
According to him, specialised coaching in areas equivalent to photo voltaic set up, welding, fabrication, equipment upkeep, meals processing and different technical trades would put together younger folks for productive careers whereas lowering unemployment and creating wealth.
Olowolafe additionally advocated the engagement of grasp vocational instructors from international locations famend for technical training, together with Switzerland, Germany, Canada and South Africa, to strengthen educating capability and expose college students to worldwide finest practices.
“We must expand this capacity by modernising the curriculum and directly hiring master vocational instructors from nations with elite technical education systems, such as Switzerland, Germany, Canada and South Africa, to train our faculty and connect our colleges digitally to clients and employers everywhere,” he stated.
The Pro-Chancellor of Miva Open University additionally pledged to accomplice with the state authorities to determine upgraded, trendy and solar-powered ICT centres within the six government-owned technical faculties whereas supporting the introduction of international experience into vocational training.
He additional proposed strategic partnerships with main worldwide mining establishments to rework the Department of Geology of Ekiti State University right into a world-class centre of excellence inside the subsequent 5 years.
Olowolafe stated Ekiti’s instructional benefit should now be complemented by deliberate funding in rising applied sciences, figuring out synthetic intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, automation and renewable power as sectors that may form future financial development.
He described the Ekiti Knowledge Zone as a transformational venture able to connecting expertise entrepreneurs within the state to alternatives internationally.
According to him, the venture, conceived below former Governor Kayode Fayemi and at the moment being applied by Governor Oyebanji, would allow younger innovators to determine globally aggressive expertise companies with out leaving Ekiti.
“On the digital side, the Ekiti Knowledge Zone is now under way. Conceived under former Governor Kayode Fayemi and being implemented by His Excellency, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, once complete, it will give our young people a place to build technology ventures without leaving Ekiti, serving clients in Lagos, London and Singapore, and bringing that income home to Ekiti. That is how education becomes wealth,” he stated.
The famend entrepreneur additionally recognized dependable electrical energy as a vital driver of training, healthcare, manufacturing and small-scale enterprises.
He proposed the institution of renewable-energy-powered microgrids throughout the state’s 177 wards to offer uninterrupted electrical energy for faculties, hospitals, workshops and companies, including that collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency would speed up implementation.
He additionally challenged scientists, engineers and expert artisans to develop solar-powered cocoa-drying gear able to modernising cocoa processing, growing productiveness and boosting international alternate earnings.
Olowolafe recognized the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport as one of many state’s most strategic property, describing it as proof of the advantages of continuity in governance and long-term planning.
He, nonetheless, emphasised that improved highway infrastructure can be important to maximise the airport’s financial potential, facilitate industrial improvement and entice higher funding into the state.
The Chancellor additionally advocated stronger collaboration between authorities and communities in figuring out and addressing native improvement priorities.
He cited the Gbemisola Olowolafe Memorial Community Secondary School in Are-Ekiti for example of profitable community-driven intervention, noting that plans had been underway to rework the establishment right into a world-class secondary faculty with a capability for 600 college students and a curriculum constructed round science, expertise, languages, arts and sports activities.
According to him, the adjoining GOMTECH ICT Centre is already offering coaching in synthetic intelligence, coding, graphic design and Mandarin, thereby exposing younger folks to globally aggressive digital expertise.
Highlighting ongoing reforms at EKSU, Olowolafe stated the college had launched Project Digi-Teach EKSU, an initiative geared toward equipping all 650 lecturers with digital educating competencies.
“The same thinking drives our work at Ekiti State University, where His Excellency appointed me Chancellor in 2024. Through Project Digi-Teach EKSU, we are bringing all 650 lecturers to full digital teaching proficiency, and our Trading Room has grown into a Senate-approved diploma programme in financial markets,” he stated.
He added that high-speed Starlink web had additionally been deployed at 12 strategic places throughout the college campus to boost digital studying, analysis and innovation.
