Education
LAUTECH Will be Envy of Other Nigerian Universities—Aregbesola Boasts
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor of Oyo State, Mr Abiola Ajimobi and his Osun State counterpart, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, have lamented the non-resumption of academic activities at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, in spite of their spirited efforts to restore normalcy.
The owner-states governors bared their minds during the submission of the report of the Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN)-led visitation panel, set up over the crisis rocking the university, at the Governor’s Office, Ibadan, on Friday.
Also at the event were the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the institution’s Governing Council, Prof. Wale Omole; Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin, and others members of the governing council and the visitation panel.
The panel was set up in October, last year, to chart a fresh path forward for the institution, which had been thrown into crisis for more than eight months due to the industrial action embarked upon by its academic and non-academic staff.
Although the school was reopened by the management on January 27 following the injection of over half a billion naira by Oyo and Osun States, the institution’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had refused to return to classes citing unresolved issues with the management.
Mr Ajimobi commended the panel for what he called a thorough and in-depth job done, assuring the panel of full implementation of the recommendations.
He, however, harped on the need for the collaboration of corporate bodies and individuals to set up a trust fund for the funding of the institution giving the pervading reality of paucity of funds in the country.
The Governor said, “Awolowo was a realist and he saw the need to finance education while alive. He also had the resources to apply to the vision then and we all benefitted from his gesture. Today, oil revenue, which is the mainstay of sustaining education funding through federal allocation, had dropped.
“Oyo State that used to get N5.2billion as monthly allocation now gets as low as N2.5billion and we have to pay salaries of workers and finance social infrastructure. How do we survive that without looking inward?
“The reality on the ground requires that we look at different ways of doing things. There is need for repositioning of the university, especially on the structure. The non-resumption of academic activities after our (governors) efforts is worrying.
“LAUTECH should be the flagship of the South-West. There is nothing wrong in the whole South-West states buying into the ownership, relying on the internally-generated revenue from the school alone cannot help.”
On his part, Mr Aregbesola said the whole crisis was regrettable, but inevitable having been allegedly brought about by a sharp drop in the states’ financial power, occasioned by the crash of petroleum price in the world market.
He disclosed that the next assignment would be to set up a Technical Implementation Committee that would draw up a white paper from the report of the visitation panel.
Mr Aregbesola said, “The whole situation is regrettable, but I’m of the opinion that the academic staff and students of the university are not unaware of the present financial challenges facing the states, which culminated from the drop in our monthly federal allocation.
“We are happy the panel has done a marvellous job and the next step is for the two states to put up a technical implementation committee that would work on a white paper from the visitation panel’s report.”
The chairman of the panel said the panacea to the crisis bedevilling the academic institution was the establishment of a trust fund and strategic funding by the owner-states governments in the form of subvention.
Mr Olanipekun said it was a well-known fact that throughout the world, funding of university education did not rest squarely on government, but with support from corporate individuals and bodies in the form of trust fund.
He said, “Government alone is incapable of funding university education. Talk of great universities all over the world, you will talk of Harvard. The budget of Harvard University is more than that of Nigeria.
“How did they come about this? It is through trust fund and we are also recommending same as a solution to the funding crisis of LAUTECH. Maybe Nigerian universities would start to learn from LAUTECH if our recommendations are implemented.
“But, we are recommending that for now the university need money; the immediate thing is for the university to reopen. It has been out of session for eight months.
“Therefore, we are recommending that for now, the university must be given some subvention for it to reopen in the short term and after that the implementation of the other steps and recommendations could be also followed.”
By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh
An initiative, designed to foster a strategic collaboration between educational institutions from Russia and Africa, is set to bring together exceptional young professionals in the field of information technology. On 13th March 2025, the Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI) hosted a large-scale roundtable discussion on “Exporting Russian IT Education” as part of the International Science Festival “Festival of Communications and Informatics Science – ComInfFest 2025”.
The event became an important platform for discussing issues of promoting Russian educational programs in the field of information technology in the international arena. The roundtable was attended by representatives of embassies of 15 foreign countries and diasporas, interested government bodies of the Russian Federation, leading IT companies, international student organizations, as well as the president of the Cameroonian diaspora in the Russian Federation and chairman of the commission for work with African diasporas of the Russian-African Club of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Louis Gouend.
MTUCI Rector Sergey Erokhin, the roundtable moderator, emphasized the growing interest in Russian IT education students from different countries, noting the need to create favorable conditions for their successful studies, adaptation, and professional development.
Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Pavel Shevtsov emphasized the importance of creating attractive conditions for professional growth and employment of foreign students.
Louis Gouend emphasized the importance of strengthening ties between the Russian and African educational communities and the role of the Russian IT sector in developing the potential of African students. He also touched upon the issues of adaptation of international students, proposing innovative integration methods and stressed that Africa will be a huge growing market for Russian IT education by 2050.
The participants discussed issues of social and cultural adaptation, competitiveness of Russian education, and ways to overcome language barriers.
The experts further emphasized the need for active interaction with foreign partners, popularization of Russian IT education, as well as interaction between educational institutions and businesses to create practical-oriented programs. At the end of the large-scale roundtable, Louis Gouend discussed with the university management the possibility of receiving subsidies for African students studying in the preparatory course.
Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI) is a Russian university which specializes in the field of information technology, telecommunications, and information security. It currently has a total enrollment of approximately 15,000 students. In January 1992, in accordance with Order of the Government of Russia, it received the status of as a technical university and transformed into the Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics (MTUCI).
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An $8,000 scholarship has been launched by Prodigy Finance and the Esade Business School for women in graduate programs in a bid to promote leadership and empowerment.
The scholarship is open to women from Prodigy-supported regions, with applications accepted from March 14 to April 14, 2025.
The objective of the programme is to support the next generation of female leaders as part of the commitment of the parties to empower women, breaking down barriers, and leadership in their respective fields.
This scholarship is part of a wider initiative to increase diversity and inclusion in education and get more women into leadership positions across industries and communities.
It is for women starting their studies in the Fall of 2025, who must be from a Prodigy-supported region and attending a Prodigy-supported school.
After the closure of entries, a period of review will follow from April 15 to May 1, 2025, with the winner announced on May 2, 2025.
Applicants must complete the scholarship application within the specified timeframe and submit essay responses that assess their merit and need, the organisers said.
“At Prodigy Finance, we believe education can transform lives. This Women’s Day, we are pleased to be partnering with ESADE to support women from around the world.
“By backing their education, we are not only making learning more accessible but also enabling them to make a lasting impact in the business world,” the Global Chief Business Officer at Prodigy Finance, Ms Sonal Kapoor, said.
Prodigy Finance said it is dedicated to making quality education accessible. Known for its no-cosigner, collateral-free loans, the company offers student loan amounts up to the cost of attendance limits set by the schools.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
An educational grant programme will soon be launched by a fast-rising support group, the Young Professionals for Tinubu (YP4T).
The scheme is to support at least 100 Senior Secondary School 3 (SSS3) students across Nigeria with funds for their final certificate examinations.
This initiative seeks to remove financial barriers for promising students, ensuring they have the opportunity to complete their education and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s growth.
“Education is the foundation upon which strong nations are built. By supporting 100 young Nigerians in their final year of secondary school, we are not only investing in their future but in the future of the country itself.
“This grant represents an opportunity for these students to complete a critical stage of their education, equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s progress.
“We believe that empowering young minds today will yield leaders who drive innovation, governance, and prosperity tomorrow,” the Regional Director for YP4T, Mr Alex Oware, stated.
Recently, in a continued effort to empower young Nigerians as active participants in the nation’s development, YP4T empowered about 1,200 young Nigerians with the knowledge and skills needed to take on active roles in shaping Nigeria’s future.
The programme was held under the Civic Participation Workshop and featured dynamic and interactive sessions on policy making and advocacy, digital citizenship and social media activism, leadership and public speaking, and understanding government and the constitution.
Participants had the opportunity to engage with experienced facilitators, ask critical questions about how to better integrate into political and civic spaces at both local and national levels, and receive practical guidance on how to make meaningful contributions to Nigeria’s development.
A resounding theme that emerged throughout the event was the growing number of young Nigerians approaching voting age, with speakers and facilitators emphasizing the urgent need for them to ensure they are registered to vote.
The discussions reinforced the principle that active civic engagement begins with exercising the fundamental right to vote, ensuring that young voices are represented in shaping the country’s future.
Mr Oware engaged the Personal Assistant to the President on General Duties, Mr Wale Fadare, in a conversation about what true nation-building requires from young Nigerians.
“True transformation is a collective effort. Young Nigerians have the energy and vision to drive change, and it is vital that we all work together to build a stronger, more resilient nation.
“A crucial part of this is making sure that more young people take their civic responsibilities seriously, from understanding governance to ensuring they are registered to vote,” the President’s aide said.
The event marks a significant moment for YP4T, which recently surpassed 3,000 registered young professionals dedicated to supporting and advancing the policies of President Tinubu.
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