BY UBON EKANEM, CALABAR – The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu says Nigeria urgently needs a transformative approach to education that will positively drive real societal impact
According to him, the time has come for scholars, institutions, and the youth to move beyond theoretical knowledge, while embracing a “gown-to-town” philosophy that emphasizes educational advancement based on dynamic and research-driven instruments for solving real-world challenges.
Hon Kalu, who made the remarks at the 38th Convocation ceremony of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), where his PhD thesis was adjudged as the most outstanding, said a paradigm-shifting strategy will foster national innovation, and ensure that academic achievements yield tangible, positive, and sustainable impacts on Nigerian society.
He said academic wisdom without positive impact on society is a mere personal accolade, noting that today’s world thrives on science and technology whose direct bearing on the society has advanced the course of daily living to an immeasurable height.
Maintaining that Nigerians must move beyond rehashing issues and focus on actionable results, the Deputy Speaker said: “It is about time our educational system begins to explore solutions to the problems stunting our growth as a nation”.
He expressed deep gratitude to the University authorities for the distinct honour of recognizing his thesis as a reference point and encouraged his fellow graduands to apply their academic wisdom to advance society, regardless of the field they pursue.
