Professor Sarah Ayang Agbor , the African Union Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology, has said that the private sector, government and academia need to partner in order to aid Africa’s development and bring an end to the lack of implementation of strategies that has continually plagued the continent.
She made this call at the press conference to mark the beginning of the 2nd convocation ceremony of Chrisland University, at the university premises, in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The university, despite the pandemic, was able to carry out classroom teaching, examinations, and project writing and is now set to graduate its students.
Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Chinedum Peace Babalola, said that this was made possible because Chrisland was one of the first universities in Nigeria to adopt the learning management system called classera which made the online learning process, seamless and top notch.
She added that they “took a giant step of adding 12 new programmes to Chrisland University, including the College of Basic Medical Science”.
The AU Commissioner, while commending the university professional programmes said that “most of the professional courses come from private universities”.
She added that, “They are the ones who actually bring the right skills and competencies that we are expecting”.
Prof. Agbor, while still reiterating the need for the right skills, particularly in STEM, also voiced the need for youths to engage in agric-preneurship.
This according to her is one area that the African Union Development Agency supports in terms of standing as collateral for the youths to get the financial support they need to go into agriculture.
The press conference was also attended by the Director of the African Union Human Resources, Science and Technology, Dr. Mahama Ouedraogo, a Director of Pan African University for Life and Health Sciences, and other AU delegates from Addis Ababa.
