Partnership among different departments of higher institutions of learning has been suggested as the quickest way to wealth creation.
Professor Moshood Ayinde Hassan, an expert in Adult and Industrial Education at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, stated while delivering the 18th inaugural lecture at the varsity on Tuesday.
He noted that partnership between the industrial education and training section of the Department of Adult Education and other disciplines would enhance the transfer of knowledge and skills, leading to the provision of services to the public and the production of income.
While delivering the Inaugural Lecture entitled: “Tapping the Untapped Wealth: Adult Education, Non-Formal and Industrial Education on a Mission,” Prof. Hassan emphasised that spreading of skills and knowledge resides in almost all disciplines in any varsity that has Department of Adult Education where industrial education and training unit is domiciled.
Speaking on the importance of staff’s quality, resourcefulness and commitment, the erudite professor declared that spreading of skills and knowledge would be accompanied with services to the people and income generation that could help such a University to discharge its statutory duties to the society.
He, therefore, described informal learning as any kind of learning which does not take place within, or follow from, a formally organised learning programme or event, saying “The 21st century requires synergy and collaboration amongst specialists within and outside the field of adult and non-formal education.
“Therefore, adult and non-formal education practitioners and theoreticians need to work with one another on one hand, and both should collaborate with other specialists from other disciplines in order to satisfy the needs of clientele in all ramifications.”
The lecturer, who described adult and non-formal education as development education that summed up the provision of knowledge and skills required in all segments of the society, advised Universities to establish outfits where components of Adult and non-formal education could be explored with a view to making it useful to members of the public from where the Universities would generate revenue.
Prof. Hassan, who is also the incumbent Dean of Faculty of Education, explained that wealth could be realised from the provision or utilisation of various components of adult and non-formal education by individuals, cooperate organisations, government at all levels and educational institutions.
He, therefore, urged government at all levels to fast-track industrial development of the country through establishment of cottage industries, small and medium scale industries.
The professor noted that the industry could be enhance through strengthening of assistance to institutions including Industrial Development Centre (IDC), SMEDAN, Local Loan Organisation, NASRAL, FIIRO, and BoA, among others.
Calling on residents of the university community to key into the idea, Prof. Hassan said: “University administrators and other academic staff should be receptive to the idea of learning more about Adult and non-formal education in order to be able to reap the benefits therein, adding that,
“The adult education sector and the Universities in Nigeria should also be prepared for the arrival of Massive Open Online Courses, MOOCs, and the fourth industrial revolution. They need to prepare their curriculum to model a national, open and distance learning system. This should happen now, as it is very likely that open and distance learning systems are just around the corner.”
“With the abundance of Academic staff in the Department who come from heterogeneous aspects of discipline of Adult Education, I make bold to say that utilisation of components in Adult and non-formal Education will bring in to the University billions of naira through working in collaboration with government agencies and other stake holders.”
Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, congratulated the Inaugural lecturer on fulfilling the academic rite, describing inaugural lecture as “an academic tradition that is often considered a rite of passage for professors. It provides an occasion for the university to celebrate the appointment and acknowledge the accomplishments of the appointed academic.”
He said the exercise is an opportunity for the Inaugural Lecturer to showcase his expertise, research interests and academic achievements.