An educationist in Rivers State and Zonal Director of the Ministry of Education, Oyigbo LGA, Dr. (Mrs.) Christiana Sibor, has urged tertiary intuitions to channel their time, energies and resources in research, skill and innovation that will improve Nigeria’s economic growth.
Dr Sibor made the call in Port Harcourt in an interview with The Tide, Monday, on the need to produce result-oriented development research and skills that will reposition the nation’s economy and promote the needed growth.
She said institutions of higher learning must begin think outside the box and concentrate on their core values which are research and innovation to get the country out of the present economic challenges noting that such efforts would be effective, if the institution partners with industries to achieve the feat.
The zonal Director, urged Universities to focus on their core mandate and achieve greater height, pointing out that there is need for them to contribute meaningfully to national growth, which according to her, are much higher than when they focus, channel their energies and resources into Local areas of core competency than when they spread themselves totally, especially in the milieu of economic implementation.
“Indeed, it is a well known fact that no nation can develop or make meaningful progress without solid research and development culture.
“Therefore Universities should pay closer attention to research and innovation with the ultimate aim of generating new knowledge and developing new products and patterns that will catalyze the much needed industrialization of Nigeria”, she said.
On the poor funding of Universities, she appealed to both the Federal Government and State Governments to ensure increase in allocation to universities to enable them stand their ground in order to sustain  the developmental strides and improve in the living standard of the people.
The education expert also urged Universities authority re-double their efforts by taking the quantum leap that will launch their academic domains into the league of 21st century Universities by Initiating programmes, researches and community services in critical areas of skills development and entrepreneurship.
“Government should bent on addressing and investing massively in the technical and vocational education of people of the state, stressing that they are critical to the economic survival of any nation.”
She, however, commended Governor Nyesom Wike for his avowed commitment to provide quality education in the state which according to her have remained the most innovative in the country .

Janefrancess Chibundu