A leading training institute for higher education, Executive Trainers Limited, has presented a template for the management of crisis in citadel of higher education.
This was the crux of a one day virtual discourse held recently with the theme: “Crisis Management, Communication Strategies and Community Engagements in Higher Education”.
In her opening remarks, the Chief Executive of the institute, Dr (Mrs) Ajoke Ogunsan, stressed the need for all key players in the education to the embrace the subject matter.
Ogunsan flagged off the discourse by giving a brief educational background of the guest speaker, Dr Oyet Gogomary Isreal.
In his presentation, the guest speaker began by stating that results are obtained from a properly managed crisis.
“Rewards are received after good results emerge; thereafter, recognition and finally validation are successive by products from a crisis,” he said.
He highlighted occurrences such as business crisis and the diverse effects of such occurrences  with specific emphasis on the pandemic and End Sars protest across the Country. He pointed out the role of leadership in crisis management, while enjoining institutions to create departments that can handle institutional crisis management; prepare a crisis management plan, crisis management response and so on.
The academic pointed out the types and stages of crisis. He stressed that the abililty to control a crisis hinges on curtailing every crisis at the prodromal stage.
He, however, expressed behavioral attitude to crisis and how institutions should act to control the possible result of any looming vulnerability which could metamorphose to crisis.
“Poor communication could degenerate a crisis scenario. vulnerability assessment, facts and timeliness, sympathy, empathy, sincerity, truthfulness and ownership can de-escalate a looming crisis. I advise that there should be a crisis management centre possibly in the Senate with all the facilities needed to meet any emergency need. There are two crisis response strategies: Primary and secondary,” he said.
In a swift reaction, Mustapha Idiaro from Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State, made three points currently brewing crisis in tertiary institutions.
According to him, they are —  Government’s inability to fulfill promises  and honor agreements with institutions; a need to introduce crisis management courses in the institution’s curriculum; an introduction of crisis management as a skill acquisition during the NYSC orientation of youth corp members, every year