The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Honourable Aminu Bello Masari, has advised Nigerian universities to deploy technology that will equip their graduates with relevant skills to compete globally.
He also emphasised the need for moral uprightness and institutional resilience as critical pillars for Nigeria’s educational and national development.
Masari spoke during the 17th convocation ceremony of Al-Qalam University, Katsina, where he was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Public Administration in recognition of his contributions to public service, education, human capital development, and leadership.
The former Governor of Katsina State maintained that orientation towards technology has become inevitable for the survival of higher education and the nation in general.
“In today’s world, a deliberate tilt towards technology is not optional, it is inevitable. The number of graduates produced annually by our universities demands a robust paradigm shift; one that ensures that our graduates are adequately equipped with relevant skills to compete in an increasingly dynamic inter-connected global environment.
“Our youths must be challenged to embrace modern technology and through its mastery, develop innovative solutions for agriculture, security, service delivery, health care, mineral exploration and other critical drivers of national development,” he said.
Masari expressed appreciation to the university community for the honour, paying tribute to the visionaries behind the establishment of the institution.
Speaking on politics, Masari urged political leaders to display caution and embrace leadership anchored on purpose, patriotism, and national development as the country approaches another season of political activities and elections.
He cautioned that global events have shown that advanced democracies could also face political destabilisation when competition is unchecked.
He therefore emphasised that patriotism must take precedence over personal political ambition.
Also speaking at the event, Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State described education as the most powerful instrument for sustainable development, revealing that his administration has so far invested over ₦6 billion in scholarship awards to no fewer than 174,451 students in tertiary institutions within and outside the country.
Governor Radda stated that the investment in scholarships, including the provision of school infrastructure and skills development, among others, was aimed at preparing youths academically, morally, and economically for global competitiveness.