On the 8th of February, 2022, the National Universities Commission stamped the seal of authority on the establishment of two new specialized universities in Lagos State. The State House of Assembly had earlier passed a bill for the transmutation of the Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu to the Lagos State University of Science and Technology…
The bill to establish the two new specialized universities was assented to by Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu to give the process the needed legal backing. Others see it as a mere populist stunt to shore up the approval rating of the governor preparatory to a second-term bid. Such lines of thought are expected, considering the diversity of our society.
Speaking further, the NUC boss said: “The Lagos State University of Science and Technology certainly would be a benefit to the position of Lagos as the hub of industries and technology in this country and West Africa. And if properly supported, this is a university that can help Lagos State’s determination to transit into a knowledge economy.
It is common knowledge that getting admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria has become a herculean task. The preference for university admission is very high amongst our youth population. With the current spate of insecurity in the country, one does not need to be a soothsayer to state that idle youths portend a grave danger that could further aggravate the already tense security situation.
Vocational and entrepreneurship skills development programmes will certainly help develop the potentials of the youths to make them relevant in the 21st-century global digital economy and make them employers of labour.