Lagos City Polytechnic Graduates 657 at 10th convocation

There was joy when the Lagos City Polytechnic (LCP) turned out its 10th set of graduates at the LTV8 Blue Roof in Lagos. At the event, during which 271 National Diploma (ND) and 386 Higher National Diploma (HND) students received scrolls and prizes, various speakers underscored the importance of enhancing quality tertiary education in Nigeria.

The institution’s Governing Council Chairman, Mr Babatunde Odufuwa, said quality higher education was crucial to national and human growth.

In his paper titled: “Enhancing the standard of tertiary education in Nigeria,” the proprietor explained that the adequacy of a country’s tertiary education system affects its capacity to optimise technological advancements.

Odufuwa, an engineer, added that advanced countries view education as a good investment towards achieving national development because it provides a platform for training human resources needed to drive economic growth.

Advocating a change, he called for collaborations between the government and academic bodies, educationists, private sector, on practicable ways of urgently transforming the country’s tertiary education system.

“Knowledge and advanced skills are critical determinants of a country’s economic growth and standard of living as learning outcomes are transformed into goods and services, greater institutional capacity, more effective public sector, stronger civil society and a better investment climate.

“Good quality, merit-based, equitable and efficient tertiary education and research are imperative in achieving all this. Improved and accessible tertiary education can help in achieving development goals particularly those related to all levels of education, health and gender equality,” he said.

Odufuwa also advocated closer relationship between the institutions and industry such that it would positively match the quality of educational curriculum used for training in schools to the needs of investors.

Odufuwa’s counsel to the graduands was for them to give their best.

“I implore you to be law-abiding and be good ambassadors of LCP  and the country. You may wish to note that you are the pivot upon which the hope of this great nation revolves. You should therefore be focused,” he said.

The overall best student was Odede Gabriel Uguazoraro, who graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.89 in Electrical/Electronics Engineering.  He won the Chairman, Governing Council, School, and Academic Board prizes