Degree alone shouldn't guarantee job for Nigerian graduates - JAMB Registrar

Oloyede said this while highlighting the need for Nigerians to equip themselves with the essential skills and knowledge required to be prepared for the challenges of the information age.

The JAMB boss, who spoke while delivering the Kwara State University (KWASU) convocation lecture on Thursday, December 14, 2023, argued that emphasis and focus should be placed on demonstrable skills rather than university degrees.

The lecture titled 'Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning – Prerequisites of the Digital Age' saw the Registrar dive deep into the challenges of the information age and how Nigerians can leverage lifelong learnings to adapt to change as circumstances unfold.

Oloyede, a Professor of Islamics, noted that “learning is useless without practice,” adding that “relearning is the ability to acquire new skills, knowledge, and perspectives quickly and effectively”.

“Those who can learn, relearn, and unlearn are the successful ones, and those without the mindset that accommodates the triad are bound to perpetually lament.

“The world today is totally different from the world inhabited by our forebears. One of the factors responsible for this change is the totality of what makes the Information Age, which is still evolving as technology develops rapidly.

“The changes in the world provide new opportunities and threats. While there are new opportunities in Information Technology, existing jobs such as typists, receptionists, traditional printers, telephone booth operators, computer operators, factory workers, cashiers, travel agents, and fuel attendants, among others, are on the verge of extinction.

“In this regard, there won’t be any difference between those who are literate and those who are illiterate without the cutting-edge skills associated with learning, relearning, and unlearning.

“Therefore, the onus of the responsibility lies on everyone to get prepared for the challenges of the Information Age by taking lifelong learning seriously and being willing to change as circumstances unfold,” he added.

Addressing the KWASU graduates, Oloyede urged them to hold learning, unlearning, and relearning as important compasses that will guide them through the uncharted territories of the Digital Age.

He said, “Your ability to embrace these principles will set you apart and empower you to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities of our rapidly changing world.”