VC explains why LASU is introducing 2-stream undergraduate programmes

The second stream undergraduate programme of the Lagos State University (LASU) was introduced to help deepen entrepreneurship skill of students of the institution, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, has said.

Addressing journalists in Lagos on Thursday, Fagbohun said that the entrepreneurship programme, which would run along with normal undergraduate degrees, would prepare the students to be self-employed and employers of labour.

According to the LASU vice chancellor, research indicates that small medium enterprises (SMEs) employ more than 80 per cent of the workforce in Nigeria.

“That is why we have very close relationship and comfortable working with SMEs, so they can impact on the university and students the right entrepreneurship skills.

“Before starting, the Stream 2 entrepreneurship programme will go through all the approval processes of the university.

“Critical thing for LASU is quality assurance which means the two-stream programmes will be standard and run successfully together without any programme failing.

“We have a directorate of quality assurance that monitors every programme of the university in order to achieve best practices,” the vice chancellor said.

He said that entrepreneurship courses would be taught only during the first year of the regular Stream 1 programme, while it would be taught throughout the duration of the Stream 2 programme.

The vice chancellor also refuted speculation that LASU had increased tuition fees for its undergraduate programmes.

“Our regular Stream 1 programme tuition fee is still 25,000 naira, while medical students pay N37,000. But for Stream 2 entrepreneurship programme, the tuition fee is N150,000, aside of acceptance and medical fee,” he said.

Also speaking, Prof. Martins Anetekhan, Director, LASU Centre for Entrepreneur, said that the university was concerned about widespread unemployment among graduates of Nigerian universities.

“After investigation, we realise that most graduates are not getting jobs because the available job vacancies can not accommodate them.

“It means they have to be skillful and adjust their mindset to become entrepreneurs who can also employ others and contribute to national development.

“Apart from giving them knowledge on normal degree programme, LASU introduced Stream 2 programme so they can also acquire some skills, knowledge through entrepreneurship programmes,” he said.

Anetekhan said that there were 79 different areas of entrepreneurship for the Stream 2 programme and teaching had been arranged such that it would not clash with the normal degree programmes.

“We should all know that entrepreneurship programme is the delivery of handsome skills and LASU partnered with many small scale industries to teach the students,” he said.