The Registrar of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, on Thursday, said that university degrees will no longer be sole guarantor of job opportunities in the country.
He said, rather, demonstrable skills will be more needed by graduates to secure employment.
Oloyede stated this at the convocation lecture, titled, “Learning, Unlearning and Relearning – Prerequisites of the Digital Age”, which he delivered at the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.
He told the graduating students at the university that new opportunities will emerge in the high tech sector and many skills that were not otherwise taught in traditional schools would be needed in the outside world.
Oloyede, however, warned that: “Degrees would no longer be sole guarantors of jobs but demonstrable skills will. In this regards, there won’t any difference between those who are literates and those who are illiterate without the cutting- edge skills that are associated with learning, relearning and unlearning.”
He added: “Therefore, the onus of the 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.
“As you embark on the next chapter of your lives, armed with knowledge and wisdom gained during your academic journney , remember that learning, unlearning and relearning are the compass that will guide you in the uncharted territories of the digital age. These processes are not separate but interwoven elements of a holistic approach to personal and professional development.
“The illiterate of 21st century, as Alvin Toffler profoundly noted, will not be those who cannot read and write , but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. 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.”
The JAMB registrar equally urged Nigerians to get prepared for the challenges of the information age by taking lifelong learning seriously and be willing to change as circumstances unfold.
Oloyede, who said that learning is useless without practice, added that relearning is the ability to acquire new skills, knowledge and perspectives quickly and effectively.
“For all, the imperative of learning, relearning and unlearning cannot be over-emphasised as the tonic that gives vitality to successful living in today’s Information Age. 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.
