President Bola Tinubu has urged stakeholders to join efforts with his administration to address the challenges facing tertiary education in the country, particularly in the area of funding.

According to the President on Saturday during his address at the 36th convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Ondo State, the issues of education can not be left to the government alone, emphasising the need for collaboration among stakeholders.

The event had no fewer than 1,030 students receive postgraduate degrees.

Tinubu was represented by the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu.

He noted that, “While the Federal Government does not have any intention of abdicating its responsibilities to higher educational institutions, the time has come for all stakeholders to take another look at the erstwhile model of absolute reliance on government for funding and rejig the educational system for sustainable funding.

“It is also very pertinent to emphasise that the interconnection between our tertiary institutions and industry should be improved. Research outputs from our tertiary institutions should be impactful, enabling industries to readily make use of them for mutual benefits.

“All over the world, funding of government-owned universities is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders.”

The President also urged academics to research meaningfully on how to address the country’s challenges.

To the graduates, the president charged them  to use the knowledge acquired at the institution to contribute to Nigeria’s economic development.

“I believe that you have all been adequately prepared to confront the challenges in the competitive labour market. I enjoin you to deploy your proficiency in diverse entrepreneurial activities, agriculture, ICT skills, and basic scientific knowledge to create jobs in your respective fields and be self-reliant.

“The government is equally hopeful that you will defend your new status as graduates through consistent hard work, increased focus, patriotic citizenship, and unalloyed commitment to national unity, peace, and progress,” the President charged.

In her remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of FUTA, Professor Adenike Oladiji, reiterated the university’s commitment to pursue its tripodal mandates of teaching, research, and community service with unrelenting fervour.