Ex-president of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo has recently stated that to conquer all socioeconomic development disputes, Africa urgently requires engineering competencies in design, problem-solving and analytical thinking.
As Naij News informs, Obasanjo made this statement on July 25, during his opening speech at the third African Engineering Deans Council summit. It took place at the Covenant University, (Ogun State). The former president added that Nigerian government should teach local specialists to adapt their technical knowledge into practical objects wanted in the industry now.
In particular, Obasanjo emphasized that all young engineers must be taught how to convert manufactured products into practical commerce ventures.
According to him, UNESCO needs to reform engineering education and carry out research to set up a baseline overview of all available best practices in engineering education in Africa. “And special attention should be paid to student-centered learning,” he added.
New engineers must be both technically proficient and be able to work within an organization. The ex-president called to speed up the interaction between universities and industries to endorse innovation and make easy the incorporation of graduates by industries. Such a connection has already become interested in policy makers. “It will stimulate the innovation and improvement in the industry while helping to guarantee relevance in academic research and training,” declared Olusegun Obasanjo.
Doctor David Oyedepo, the Chancellor of Covenant University, thanked the council for organizing the summit. He admitted that he was looking forward to seeing modernization by the council that would undertake a greater part of challenges facing African countries.
Professor Alpha Conde, the President of Guinea, called to shift a paradigm from the 20th to the 21st-century engineering to make easy Africa’s further development. “Always remember what you can do for Africa,” concluded Conde.
