Engineering Education: The Way Forward

Written By Blogger on Selasa, 23 Juli 2013 | 07.32

A Chief Lecturer at the Department of Civil Engineering, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Dr. Kehinde Osifala, has canvassed for the overhaul of curriculum of engineering programmes in the nation's polytechnics.

Osifala, who made this advocacy while delivering the third inaugural lecture of YABATECH, titled Bond: The Elixir for Strength, said that tertiary engineering education should be a two-tier system made up of technician and engineer modules so that attention could be focused and unhealthy rivalry could be eliminated.

"Failure theory and implications should be included in the curriculum in the civil Engineering curriculum, for students to appreciate the responsibility on their hands when they graduate," he added.

Osifala also said that credit passes in various subjects required for admission into engineering programmes should be at one sitting. This, he argued, would ensure that best materials were admitted into engineering departments.

"National diploma programmes in engineering should be for a duration of three sessions, due to increased work load because there is the need for update on new technologies, as knowledge is rapidly expanding and for improvement," he said.

Osifala, who also called for the cancellation of Higher National Diploma programmes in engineering, said that pending the adoption of this, HND programmes in the discipline should run for a duration of three academic sessions.

In order to ensure effective delivery of engineering education, no engineering class should have more than 35 students in a stream, to enhance close monitoring and supervision.

The lecturer, who has been in engineering practice for 30 years, noted that many students were no longer given to academic excellence, saying that they only read to pass examination.

"Students do not use the library again; not even the Internet to study. If you ask an HND student any question on what was done at the ND level in a course, you will be surprised at the response. The usual answer is, "We were not taught or it was just mentioned in passing," he said.

This, he argued, was because the standard of education had fallen to an unacceptable standard. He, therefore, called on all stakeholders to rise up in the defence of quality education through agitation for improved funding and access.

After the lecture, which attracted engineering education enthusiasts, including a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Lagos, Funso Falade; and the Rector, Dr. Margaret Ladipo, commended the lecturer for the depth of understanding of issues he highlighted.

"The lecturer has given a good account of himself; he has acquired knowledge, imparted it and successfully contributed to knowledge. He has paid his academic debt by fulfilling his obligation to the college and the academic community," she added.