ABUAD sets a Pace for other Universities

The just concluded workshop on Improved Teaching and Learning Methods in the Higher Education System, that took place at Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, from 9^th – 12^th April, 2013 was basically designed to enhance effective learning and teaching in higher institutions across the globe.

The welcome address which was delivered by the Vice Chancellor, Prof Sidi Osho, recounted various accomplishments the Institution has recorded since its inception as well as comments from various stakeholders in the educational sector. She referred to ABUAD as a Model, Benchmark and Reference Point for other Universities. She also pointed out that, the Founder, Aare Afe Babalola is a leader who God created specially for greatness, stating his numerous contributions in every facet of human endeavour, which are geared towards improving the lot of the masses and salvaging the Nigerian educational system from total decay and collapse. Prof. Osho, on behalf of the Founder (who was present) and Council members and Management team, welcomed all participants as the event kicked off with much optimism.

The Founder and President Emeritus, Aare Afe Babalola, in a brief remark, declared the programme open, acknowledging individuals that constituted the LOC including Prof. Orubuloye, Prof. Ademola and Prof. Omolewa, for their brilliant contributions in making the workshop a success. He also recognized the NUC representative, distinguished guests and top Government functionaries that were present.

The NUC representative expressed his sincere appreciation to Aare for the great work of education reform that is been experienced through ABUAD. He further mentioned that the workshop will contribute immensely to educational development, improve teaching and learning methods in university education, and propel the needed acceleration for positive change in Nigeria.

The Senior Special Advicer to the President on Youth and Students’ matter, Mr. Jude Imague who represented his Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, in his speech, praised and acknowledged the vision and mission of the Founder of Afe Babalola University as well as dedication of the staff. He stated that he was impressed with what he had seen so far in the University and that Aare Afe Babalola should be celebrated and encouraged by the Federal government.

According to him, “Just like good investment helps secure a persons retirement days, private investment in education should be encouraged as Nigeria’s future is dependent on how well we invest in education”

Mr Imague enjoined every Nigerian to join hands with the government to ensure that Nigerians are liberated from ignorance, stressing that Nigeria is blessed with many potentials but the problem is how to harness these potentials for national development. He concluded by commending the dexterity of the Founder (Aare Afe Babalola) and the facilities he put in place to improve the quality of tertiary education. He therefore advised that other well-meaning citizens should emulate the Founder and join hands to make quality education available in Nigeria.

The workshop began with presentations by erudite Scholars and Professors from diverse fields of learning. In the course of setting a pace in the educational system in Nigeria, Emeritus Professor from the University of Ibadan, Prof. Michael Omolewa asserted in his Lecture titled, ‘’Academics And The Development of a World Class Institution of Higher Learning: Building a Successful Future,’’ that, the former Secretary-General of the Association of African Universities had observed that the next decade will be most challenging for universities in the world, particularly in Africa. He noted that any university that misses the nuts and bolts that tie in excellence with growth and development will be left behind.

There has been considerable difficulty being experienced by most of the African universities in meeting the demands required for world class university status. For example, most of the universities in Africa have not distinguished themselves in the area of research. Many of these institutions are too young to bring about ground breaking publications or major research findings that would attract the attention of the world. Even the older universities have failed to commit adequate funds to research or demonstrated a commitment to active university research activities. Omolewa however praised the developmental facilities that have been put in place by the Founder (Afe Babalola university, Ado Ekiti), within a short period of its inception. He stressed that, ABUAD, as one of the developing Universities in Africa will soon be categorized as a World Class University.

According to him, since Africa seems to have lost out in the research and infrastructural base, the region should perhaps concentrate on the strengthening of the academics as an effective instrument for the production of world class students. He maintained that a university can meet a stipulated standard by international recognition but not by self-declaration; that students of tertiary institutions should be diverse in terms of courses and learning characters. In his conclusion, he said that, the appointment of high quality staff both in academics and non-academics could contribute to the top-ranking measure in the university system.

Prof. Joel B. Babalola, Department of Educational Management, University of Ibadan, in his topic titled: Understanding and developing the best mentoring practices in a private university, gave a distinctive concept of a mentor and mentee;

A mentor is a wise counselor, a tutor, a trainer, a more senior or experienced colleague appointed to help and advice a junior employee.

A mentee is a person under the direction of a mentor.

Mentor and Mentee

‘’Considering the generally reported proven benefits of school-based mentoring to both students and staff, institutions of higher learning in Nigeria, both public and private universities should actively encourage formalised mentorship to boost training and learning for both academic staff and students’’.

Prof. Is-haq .O. Oloyede, in his own speech, acknowledged the broaden concept the Founder has gathered in establishing a unique and world class ranking University with aesthetic structures and facilities that are conducive for learning. He posited that, ‘’you don’t manage to establish a University, when you visit Afe Babalola University, you will see how university is being established’’. In his view, ABUAD signifies unique example of how a University should be structured.

Dwelling on the problems posed by lecturers who would go to the classroom unprepared, Prof. Ishaq suggested that it should be mandated for all University lecturers to always place their prepared lectures on the school website before being taught in their various classes. According to him, this would make them to be diligent and committed to the teaching profession.

Other papers presented included:

Maintaining high professional standards in value-deteriorating society – Prof. Is-haq o. Oloyede
The making of “world class” universities in Nigeria –Professor Ibikunle H. Tijani
Understanding and developing the best mentoring practices in a private university –Prof. Joel B. Babalola
Enriching the delivery system in the classroom – Prof. Peter Okebukola, OFR
Forging and maintaining a win-win parent/lecturer relationship in tertiary education.
Health, Safety and Conducive Environment in Learning
Sustainable Methodologies for Integrating ICT into classrooms in Higher Education
People, process and educational technology in higher education system -Professor Ibikunle H. Tijani
Discipline and indiscipline in higher educational system
-Prof. A.A. Jekayinfa
Teaching, research and community services: the ideal balance –Prof. Ibikunle H. Tijani

After all the paper had been delivered, participants were divided into small groups for discussion. At the end of the discussion a communiqué was issued.

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF THE 4th ANNUAL WORKSHOP ON IMPROVED TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM.HELD AT AFE BABALOLA UNIVERSITY, ADO-EKITI (ABUAD), EKITI STATE FROM APRIL 9 TO 12, 2013.

Preamble

The 4th Annual General workshop on improved teaching and learning methods was held with the theme: LEARNING IN THE AGE OF RAPIDLY CHANGING TECHNOLOGY. The Annual workshop, which held at the university’s multi-purpose hall, was consistent with ABUAD vision and objectives, which aim at setting a benchmark for academic excellence, and addressing widespread concerns on the falling standards in education and the challenges associated with teaching and learning in Nigeria’s higher educational institutions. The workshop was also intended as a platform for improving teaching and learning methodology and the use of novel technologies to foster learning, as well as exchange of notes, retooling and understanding, reflecting and proffering solutions to the multiple challenges confronting the higher education system in Nigeria.

The annual workshop, which has transformed into a national platform, attracted participants from the Presidency in Nigeria, National Universities Commission (NUC), as well as distinguished academics from Nigeria, United States of America, United Kingdom, Jamaica, South Africa and other countries. The event was also graced by distinguished personalities who delivered goodwill messages.

2. Structure of the Workshop

The workshop consisted of an Opening Ceremony, as well as eleven technical and four plenary sessions addressing different aspects of the workshop theme and driven by high profile resource persons drawn from within and outside Nigeria. They included Professors Michael Omolewa, Ishaq Oloyede, Ibikunle H. Tijani, Joel Babalola, Peter Okebukola and Emmanuel Ademola. Others were professors Benjamin Oso, Adeyemi Idowu, J. A.I. Bewaji, Alice Jekayinfa and Dr. Titus Olaniyi.

3. Thematic presentations

A welcome address was delivered by the Vice-chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Professor Sidi Osho. This was followed by a keynote address on the theme of the workshop, delivered by the Founder and president of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Aare, Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON, LL.D. FNIALS, FCIArb, LL.D, D.Litt. Goodwill messages were also delivered by invited dignitaries, including representatives from the Presidency and National Universities Commission. Apart from robust and roundly-applauded comments from erudite scholars and other resourceful participants, eleven commissioned papers stemming from the workshop theme were presented as follows:

A. Academics and the development of a world class institution of higher learning;

B. Maintaining high professional standards in a value-deteriorating society;

The making of “world class” universities in Nigeria;
Understanding and developing best mentoring practices in a private university;
Enriching delivery system in the classroom;
Integrating ICT into classroom and communication practices;
People, process and educational technology in higher educational systems;
Teaching, research and community services: the ideal balance
Health, Safety and Conducive environment in learning;
Forging and maintaining a win-win parents- lecturer relationship in the institution of higher setting;
Discipline and indiscipline in the higher educational system.

4. Observations

The workshop observed, inter alia that:

the founder and president, Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola SAN, CON, OFR, FNIALS, FCIArb, LL.D, D.Litt was commended for the array of infrastructural development in the University which is no doubt a model in education reform in Nigeria;
the 21st century is a knowledge-driven era wherein advances in Information & Communication Technology (ICT) have become so manifest and pervasive that they ought to be placed at the disposal of, and utilization by, the academia and institutions of higher learning generally with application at all levels;
quality learning is a function of qualitative teaching and multi-disciplinary activities;
given the foregoing, the need for continued education for both the teachers and the students in this respect becomes even more imperative;
the duties of the government should include the provision of facilities and support for research in both public and private universities as there are no “private Nigerians” and that of all the aspects of governance, one of the most important duties is the promotion and protection of the teachers, students and the higher institutions of learning;
That the decline in standard of education is, among other factors, a result of lack of access to appropriate teaching and learning resources, facilities, methods, etc.
the Universities in Nigeria have fared poorly in the global webometric rankings as a result of the precipitous decline in standards and that there is a need to address this trend in order to place Nigerian Universities on a higher scale in the global ranking of universities;
reversing the falling standards in higher education is acknowledged as the catalyst for attaining the status of a “world class” institution of higher learning;
education, the world-over, is undergoing constant and rapid transformation, especially in terms of human resource capacity, enhancement of broad-based composition, procedural reforms and application of technology;
the academia in Nigeria is not completely insulated from undue political pressures and the attendant political manipulations;
universities do not adhere strictly to the highest educational standards, encompassing unassailable integrity, solid reputation, transparency, equality, fairness, accountability, honour, quality of teaching, learning and research impact on the society;
some of the challenges facing the higher education system in Nigeria include absence of reading culture, inadequate rewards system for excellence, lack of leadership training and failure to maintain best practices;
there is the need to mentor the next generation of scholars to ensure sustainability of scholarship;
It is important for universities’ curriculum to continuously evolve to meet not only regulatory requirements but also the evolving needs of employers and the society;
enough emphasis is not placed on learning outcomes, continuous feedback from students, peer review and the development of programs to improve teaching skills;
specialisation is not yet fully encouraged, as lecturers still teach many courses in some institutions of higher learning;
the mandates of the universities are often misconstrued for goals or responsibility. The responsibilities of the universities are not merely teaching, research and community service but learning, discoveries/innovations and development.
in this modern era, rewards are not attached to input but to output.

5. Resolutions and Recommendations

At the end of the plenary sessions, the following resolutions and recommendations were adopted:

Academics play a major role in determining the future of higher education. Therefore, in a democratising polity like Nigeria’s, it is recommended that academics must be insulated from undue political pressure and the attendant political manipulations to enable them effectively and dispassionately play their role towards the achievement of “world class” institutions of higher learning;
Academia must strictly adhere to the highest educational standards encompassing unassailable integrity, solid reputation, transparency, equality, fairness, accountability, honour, quality of teaching, learning and research impact on the society;
That for higher education to be qualitative, adequate attention should be paid to the secondary schools’ curriculum, teaching and learning methods;
That the government should include the provision of facilities and support for research in both public and private universities in government policy as there are no “private Nigerians” and that of all aspects of governance, one of the most important duties is the promotion and protection of the teachers, students and the higher institutions of learning;
The Federal Government should sponsor and support the annual workshop on improved teaching and learning methods initiated by ABUAD;
Academics should return to their various institutions and encourage improved teaching and learning methods based on the experience from this workshop;
The Federal Government should amend the statutory law setting up Tertiary Education Trust Fund(TETFUND) to enable private higher institutions to access the fund for research and development;
Specialisation should be encouraged with a view to promoting professionalism and specialisation in Nigerian higher institutions of learning as lecturers cannot efficiently teach all courses;
More emphasis should be placed on learning outcomes, continuous feedback from students, peer review and the development of programs to improve teaching skills;
There is need to mentor the next generation of scholars to ensure sustainability of scholarship;
Stakeholders in the educational sector, including participants and resource persons at this workshop should join the band of solution providers to the challenges militating against the attainment of “world class” status in Nigerian universities.
Higher institutions in Nigeria should continue to develop and adopt improved learning methods for effective academic delivery, which should include internship, experiential, service learning and studying abroad
Character development, including decent dressing should be re-emphasised and enforced as an essential aspect of learning and academic certification;
University staff and students should be positively engaged in sports and games during leisure hours to promote extra-curricular activity, good health, positive behaviour and cordial relationships.
Universities and other higher institutions of learning should not be localised, but embraced as a universal concept, featuring multiculturalism and focused on global academic standards.
That reading culture must be promoted, in addition to adequate rewards system for excellence and leadership training within the context of international best practices.
Teachers should embark on innovative and problem-solving research and embrace new technologies that will shape the learning process within and outside the classroom environment.
Research findings and recommendations in conferences and similar workshops should be implemented by policy makers as well as staff and students of higher institutions of learning with a view to addressing the myriad socioeconomic and political challenges confronting the nation.

Appreciation:

The Workshop expresses its profound appreciation to the Chief Host, Aare Afe Babalola SAN, LLD, D.Litt, CON,FNIALS, FCI.ARB, Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), the University management team, members of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), as well as staff and students of ABUAD for their hospitality and support in hosting the roundly successful workshop.