From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Tertiary institutions in Nigeria have been urged to focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for better and sustainable education of the citizenry, in line with global best practices.
Vice Chancellor, Federal University Birnin Kebbi (FUBK), Prof. Bello B. Shehu made the call at a three-day Workshop organized by Kebbi State Ministry for Higher Education on the theme “Leadership and Management: Repositioning of Tertiary Institutions in Kebbi State for Better and Sustainable Development.
The Workshop which was held in Birnin Kebbi, was chaired by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero, Gen. Muhammad Magoro (Rtd), had the FUBK Vice Chancellor served as Lead Speaker.
In his Lead Paper titled “University Administrations in Challenging Times: the Way Forward,” Shehu, asserted that ICT holds the future for education as flexible online programmes sprung up from the conventional system.
  He explained  that STEM focus would enable Nigerian universities to provide more functional education and thereby producing resourceful graduates across the country.
  According to him, “It’s important that our nation’s youth are prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make decisions. These are the kinds of skills that students develop in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, including Computer Science disciplines collectively known as STEM/CS,’ he said
The Lead Speaker lamented that challenges bedeviling the varsities include inadequate structures, poor funding and perennial closure of institutions, owing to several union agitations.
    He charged entrepreneurs, parents and other critical stakeholders in the society to contribute tremendously towards sustainable development of the education sector.
The Vice Chancellor stressed the need for collaboration amongst institutions in order to survive the current challenges.
    He hinted that the FUBK already partnered with reputable institutions at both local and international levels and  advocated total autonomy for universities in order to function effectively and efficiently.