Deficiency in quality geosciences’ manpower capacity drives private sector investment     

Outdated and inadequate educational aid for teaching and learning geosciences and related courses in institutions of higher learning with the attendant poorly trained graduates, among others, are seen as compelling reasons for recent investments by corporate organisations, BusinessDay findings have shown.

The organisations have come to the realisation that no meaningful development without adequate funding of this arm of sciences for the discovery of some of the natural endowments for proper harnessing and exploitation and others in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

With the nation’s unemployment rate at 24 percent and employers constantly challenged by shortage of qualified graduates, industry watchers see this involvement as a welcome development.

They observe with concern the prevalence of outdated thin section making machines and equipment, which enable students carry out a detailed study of a rock or minerals over the years with its attendant negative impact on other sectors of the economy.

Corporate organisations like ExxonMobil, under the University Partnership Programme (UPP) and University Assistance Programme (UAP), as part of strategies geared towards improving the quality of tertiary education in the country to internationally competitive level, has in the last eight years committed over N3 billion to public universities in Nigeria offering geosciences to improve manpower.

Michael Udoh, head, Operations Technical Geoscience, ExxonMobil Nigeria, believes that investment of this nature is important because it goes a long way in ensuring that Nigerian geosciences can stand on equal competitive footing with some of the best universities in the world in terms of the quality of their instruction and knowledge.

Udoh maintains that the long-term commitment to improving the quality of education in Nigeria, not just in the geosciences, but in the area of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, continually propels the investment decision of the company.

He observes that equipment like analytical equipment consisting of Logitech thin section making machines; mosquito nets; digital cameras and amongst other incentives will in no small way strengthen students and lecturers in geosciences education.

According to him, “since 2005, ExxonMobil have spent over N5 billion in undergraduate scholarships and annually commit substantial sums in awarding 13 postgraduate scholarships to some of the leading universities across the globe.

“We believe that given the desired level of instruction, equipment and support, Nigerians can truly transform our economy to its deserved status as one of the most vibrant and productive in the world, and that the best STEM education is the surest way to that destination.”

Linkage between universities and corporate organisations in the view of Olufemi Bamiro, a professor of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan, is a welcome development because when taken in its wider sense, can be enormously helpful in facilitating the manpower development that will lead to employment of graduates.

He observes that the involvement of professional bodies from business and industry sector in the provision of state-of-the-art facility not only make up for the acute shortage of facility, but it also helps students to be exposed to the practical aspects of their studies, and provides them with a direct contact with industry.

“Industry watchers observe that the private sector is currently leading the global trend in employment expansion and wealth creation. With government policy support there will be smooth interface for public-private partnerships between the government and the private sector,” he says.

MacJohn Nwaobiala, permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, says the private sector investment in Geosciences education gives credence to the fact that sustainable university education in the country is a collective responsibility of government and the private sector, adding that the gesture would not only enhance the teaching and research activities of the benefiting universities, but also portray the organisation as a responsible firm that fulfils its corporate social responsibilities.

“Investment in manpower capacity development in Geosciences will boost academic research and other form of learning to encourage fresh thinking, and stimulate new perspectives that could proactively impact on producing employable graduate,” he says.

Julius Okojie, executive secretary, NUC, observes that state-of-the-art equipment no doubt would improve the quality of geosciences education in the country.

“We are particular about maintenance of equipment; we will continue to monitor them to ensure that not only do we use them effectively, but we want to complement this, government will always provide the counterpart funding. We are also appealing to universities to spend money effectively, structures are not the problem in institutions, and you can build a structure and not have equipment in them.

“We are emphasising the use of funds to acquire the necessary equipment and less of structures that are not well funded. What is important is facility sharing; we will continue to ensure that we have modern equipment in our universities,” he says.

 

KELECHI EWUZIE