The JAMB boss opined that emphasis should also be placed on demonstrable skills, which are now essential.
The Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has asserted that university degrees should no longer be the only requisite for jobs in today’s information age.
He made the assertion while delivering the convocation lecture at Kwara State University (KWASU) in Malete, Kwara State, on Thursday.
The lecture was titled “Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning: Prerequisites of the Digital Age.”.
The JAMB boss opined that emphasis should also be placed on demonstrable skills, which are now essential.
The fourth industrial revolution has ushered in a wave of technological innovation, transforming industries and redefining the skills required in the workplace. As Nigeria navigates this era of digital revolution, the emphasis on skills becomes paramount. Proficiency in areas such as digital literacy, data analysis, coding, and problem-solving has become indispensable across various sectors.
Oloyede, a professor of Islamic studies, admonished Nigerians to prepare for the challenges of the information age by taking lifelong learning seriously and being willing to change as circumstances unfold.
He emphasised 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,” he added.
He said, “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 up 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 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.”
Professor Oloyede advised the institution graduates to remember that learning, unlearning, and relearning are the compasses that will guide them in the uncharted territories of the digital age.
“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.”
