Lagos Commissioner for Education urges youths to be productive at AEI YOP

The importance of education to the development of a nation can not be overemphasised in all ramifications. Given this background, the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI) held a 2 day Youth Orientation Programme ( YOP), a programme meant to reawaken the spirit of academic excellence in youths life and encourage them to be focused in their academic pursuits.

At this year’s YOP held virtually was attended by the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folashade Adefisayo who engaged the participants which cut across fresh secondary school graduates, admission seekers and higher institution students on the need for them to remain focused and determined to excel in life.

Adefisayo speaking on the topic ‘Self Development: The Making of 21st Century Giant’ urged the participants to make judicious use of the internet at this time for their self-development and growth.

The commissioner said, “the internet can be used to develop yourself, it makes you interact with the world over. Interact on the internet with people that will give you live. Use the internet to deepen your knowledge, develop 21st-century skills in terms of digital thinking.”

She also identified continuous reading and having a good role model as ways of attaining success in life.

“Read, you must deepen your life by reading and having good role models. Find out how you can meet role model and network. Find out your passion and pursue it. Never stop learning because every day new things happen,” she said.

The banker turned educationist also encouraged the youths to stay focus as she said staying focus will help one attains greater heights in life. Stay focus. You must learn the art of staying focus. In whatever you do, begin with the end in mind to help you pursue your goal successfully,” she said.

Also speaking at the 2 days YOP event was Pro-Chancellor University of Derby, UK, Prof Kamil Omoteso. Omoteso who spoke on the theme: Attaining excellence in the face of the new normal: students on call said the new normal is the way we learn, interact and exchange transactions post COVID-19.

The professor while acknowledging the reality of COVID-19 told the participants that learning virtually has come to stay in the world hence all must work to join the moving train if one must succeed in life.

To him learning in the new normal would help students explore opportunities beyond borders as he said, “Excellence and the new normal allows you to explore opportunities provided by digital technologies, learning beyond borders through collaboration and cooperation and engaging in relevant online courses where you get certified and also explore scholarship opportunities home and abroad.”

Omoteso identified distraction, getting internet access which includes data limit, poor network service among others as a hindrance to effective online learning. But said the conundrum can be overcome if there is will and focus on part of the students.

“You must maintain balance, be in control of your life, manage your time, it is a key to success. Keep your eyes on the ball and reach out for advice and support,” he said.

On his part why addressing the students, on the topic ‘Global Competitiveness: the digital learning imperative’ Prof Musa Aibinu, said the world has gone technological and that in years to come machine will take over many activities abinitio undertaken by man.

He urged participants to key into the global trend of technological advancements so as not to be left out in the nearest future.

Prof Aibinu said digitalisation helps individuals and groups to be connected for its flexibility, accessibility and opportunities therein are in abundance.

Aibinu, a Professor of Mechatronics and Robotics at the Federal University of Technology, Mina, Niger State said by 2050 the world would have adopted digital 4.0. This he said would bring the emergence of robotics taken the stage of human activities.

“By 2050, more than half of the world’s population growth is expected to occur in Africa, while, by some estimates, 65 percent of children starting primary school today will work in jobs that are yet to exist – jobs in artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, 3D printing and nanotechnologies,” he said.

Executive Director of the AEI, Mr Faheed Olajide said the YOP is an annual event meant to groom students in the higher institutions, fresh secondary school leavers in their academic pursuits in life.

This year YOP he said was the 14th edition and said the organisation will not relax its oars in helping students attain excellence in their academics.

Olajide urged the participants to make judicious use of the lectures received to make them successful in future.