Deputy Speaker Calls For Revamping of Universities Curriculum

By, Promise Imoh.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, Benjamin Kalu has called on Nigerian Universities to renew their outdated curriculums.

The Deputy Speaker made this call on Thursday 20th of March 2025 in Calabar as guest convocation lecturer, while delivering his convocation lecture to mark the 37th convocation, and Golden jubilee anniversary of the University Of Calabar. 

Speaking during the lecture, Benjamin lamented that the use of AI, has made most Nigerian courses antediluvian, and unable to solve problems in modern realities.

He also stated that with the growing trend of social media and dessimmination of fake news, it beckons on the university lecturers to properly guide the students on when, how and why information should be shared.

The Lawmaker further censure Nigerian Universities charging it to raise up to it present challanges, and prioritize introduction of tech skills like artificial intelligence,  cyber security, and data analysis and called for impactful learning on the path of  University lecturers to students whom he described as future leaders that would shape the country policies, decisions, and laws in  years ahead.

“The challenge beyond us is clear our universities must go beyond theory to practical impact, bringing the gown into the town and now into cyberspace where knowledge is applied.

“Years ago I sat on the other side window of the room, absorbing the wisdom knowledge and training that shaped me.

“The ideas ignites change, outdated teaching methods, fails to empower students for future challenges. The true major of education is it true impact on the town. How many universities projects directly tackle local challenges like health care, water access, food security or transportation.

“If universities do not first serve their own communities their achievements risk being confined to ivory towers. 

“Our researched should move away from theories and offer tangible solutions while graduate must be equipped to address real issues from policy refinements, to policy transportation.

“If the town dose not feel the impact of our gown, our education is incomplete. Our universities are more than centres of learning, they are the backbone of our community and nations.

“Their value lies not in certificates but in real world impacts. Institutions must go beyond academic debates, producing results that shapes research proactively rather than reacting to crisis” He noted. 

Benjamin further emphasized on the importance of creativity in today’s education as well as how introducing technological and practical teaching can further make education valuable. 

“Creativity is as important in education as literacy, we should treat it with the same standards. It is time for our curriculum to move from theory, agriculture students must master drone mapping for breeze control, medical schools should introduce early medicine and AI.

“Law faculties must adopt block chains. Engineering students should embrace robotics , when the gown mirrors the towns needs, productivity follows when we bridge the gap between academia and society university can drive national progress while contributing to global knowledge.

“Education should not be a privilege, it should be a birth right , the inheritance of every child no matter their circumstances. 

 “University should foster public private partnership, inclusive learning models University should equip students  to digital economy, this will enable them to produce graduates who do not seek jobs, but create them.

“Universities should stop teaching students courses and curriculums that cannot transform them into problem solvers. There are so much emphasis on CGPA, it is not based on GPA, it is based on problems solving.

“We must translate theories into problem solving, we should leverage on technology and reform our curriculum.” Benjamin said.

Enhancing his speech, the chairman of the convocation, Prof Eka Braide accentuate the need for universities to key more into research.

She revealed that the university has three mandates to teach, refine the minds and produce. She however urge the university to continuously strive in instilling morals, values and good principles in the heart of students.

“We must continually imbibe the spirit of learning in our students and help them to see reasons why education is the fountain and bedrock of a good society.” Braide said

Responding in her speech, The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Florence Obi noted that since the inception of the university, it has graduated over hundreds of thousands of students, who had distinguished themselves across various fields.

She advocated for continuous support from attendees to the University as “Unical is positioning towards the global map”.

Dignitaries who attended the lecture includes; the Senate President, Sen. God’swill Akpabio, the acting Governor of Cross River State, RT. Hon. Dr. Peter Odey, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Dr. Benjamin Kalu, Secretary to the Cross River state government Prof. John Owan Enoh, Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong, Senator Eteng Jones, the Pro Chancellor of the University of Calabar and Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, Former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Betta Edu, and other Senior Government Officials.

The culmination of the events was a presentation of awards to exceptional alumni’s of the University of Calabar.