Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka is scheduled to deliver the convocation lecture at the third convocation of the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete on Saturday.
At a briefing on Tuesday, Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof AbdulRasheed Na’Allah, told reporters that the renowned Professor of Comparative Literature would speak on a topic that is relevant to the present situation in the country, adding that “Professor Soyinka would speak from his heart”.
He said 732 students would graduate this year – with six from the faculties of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) and Pure and Applied Sciences bagging first class honours degrees.
One hundred and seventy-four others would get Second Class Upper, 549, Second Class Lower, and three would be awarded third class.
The Vice Chancellor, who said the graduates of the university had been prepared with academic and entrepreneurial knowledge, added that some got funds from the university to start businesses, even while on campus, with the aim of making them job creators.
He, therefore, appealed to parents of the graduates to support and encourage them in their determination to create wealth and be solutions to the country.
The vice-chancellor also called on the corporate organisations, government, and others to partner with the university on research outputs.
Asked his expectation from the new government, Na’allah urged President Muhammadu Buhari to revitalise public education in Nigeria.
He said: “Most of us here are products of public education. We were ready to defend our schools as the best. We had the best teachers; best equipment and we had the passion to make the difference in the world. Today unfortunately, most Nigerians who have something good for their young people prefer the private schools. Today sadly too people have no more confidence in public schools.
“I think this government must take revitalisation of public education as one area of major change for Nigeria. If public education is revitalised and parents begin to have confidence in public education a lot of changes will come to this nation.
‘’The Federal Government should declare state of emergency on public education and mobilise state and local governments to revitalise public education in Nigeria.”
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