Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), University of Uyo, Prof. Enoidem Usoro has called for reappraisal of business education in Nigeria to ensure business educators and graduates remained competitive and cope with challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Usoro made the call in Awka, the Anambra state capital during the 32rd Annual National Conference organised by the Association of Business Educators of Nigeria (ABEN) themed, ‘Organising and Managing Business Education in Nigeria.’
She lamented inadequate instructional equipment and laboratory tools as well as failure of most graduates to acquire the needed skills upon graduation, which she said has resulted to increased unemployment challenge.
She said, “As business educators, we must think outside the box. We need to rethink and chart a new course for business education programme in Nigeria by ensuring we employ emerging method of delivery via virtual environment for better skill acquisition and development.
“We need to reappraise what business education in Nigeria is to ensure that business educators and graduates remain competitive, as well as to cope with challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
“There is lack of or inadequate instructional equipment and laboratory tools resulting in many graduates of business education roaming the street with their certificates looking for white collar job for obvious failure to acquire sufficient and entrepreneurial skills to establish businesses of their own.”
While calling for urgent addressing of infrastructural decay in business education programme, the VC underscored the need to harmonise the curriculum structure of the programme in universities.
She expressed optimism that the conference would do justice in addressing the issues and offer realistic solutions, charging business educators to be committed and ensure professionalism in their day-to-day teaching activities.
Declaring the conference open, Vice-Chancellor, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Charles Esimone underscored the need to impact skills on business education students to enable them become self independent.
Esimone, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Frederick Odibo, disclosed that his administration was already building an edifice for vocational education in the university, while reassuring his unflinching support to ABEN.
Earlier, National president, ABEN, Prof. Chika Madu Ile, said the conference was aimed at providing desirable platforms for experts to converge and rub minds on critical issues bothering on business education curriculum and practices, business and entrepreneurship skills with view to proffering solutions.
He said the issues were ignited by changes in technology, environment, workplace, work demands and the dynamism of the society.
“Business education programme need to be properly organised and managed so that it can fulfill its mandate of ensuring that students are properly guided through carefully planned experiences that will offer them the opportunity to master knowledge, skills and attitudes needed not only to succeed in business but also have equal opportunity to succeed in life”.
