by crossriverwatch admin
The Commissioner of Education, Cross River State, Prof. Offiong E. Offiong has commended the leadership of Cross River University of Technology, CRUTECH for its strides in organizing her second eminent lecturer series which held in Calabar recently.
He lamented the lack of attention that is accorded sciences in our educational system in Nigeria; “The few of us in this field do feel bad each time we travel abroad to see how more advance they are in science than us, example is India where her Science Council which is the highest authority is headed by one who has unlimited access to the President of that country. Another is Pakistan where science is regarded as one of the noblest professions with actions not lip service. Amongst the entire Nobel Laureates we have in the third world most are from either of the two countries, this gulf has cost us a lot that doesn’t worth the sacrifice again but actions”.
The Education Commissioner who chaired the event urged all stakeholders in the state and country at large to put their hands on deck to revive pure science education in other to move the nation forward.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of institution, Prof. Ene-Obong Effiom revealed that CRUTECH was established on September 1st, 2002 through the merger of three former state-owned tertiary institutions.
He added that the institution in total has eight faculties with 38 programs all of which have received accreditation from the National Universities Commission.
He however noted that the university’s mission amongst others is to contribute to the economic development of the state and nation, maintaining that the rationale of the eminent lecturer’s series is to serve as a platform to contribute and give back to the society.
Delivering a lecture on the theme “Rescuing Nigeria’s Development With Relevant Science and Appropriate Technology” the guest lecturer, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, President Nigerian Academy of Science, defined science as a system of acquiring knowledge, using observation and experimentation to describe and explain natural phenomena. And technology as an activity that forms or change culture.
He asserted that the Ministry of Science and Technology over the years has had haphazard developmental plans noting that the first Ministry of Science and Technology Nigeria had was 20 years after independence, from 1980 till date, it has produced 10 ministers each with a tenure of not more than 2 years and as usual, each coming with his own agenda and policies that never see the light in the next government.
Prof. Oyewale said, “As a result of the lip service paid by the government to science and technology in Nigeria, “we did not have our first National Science and Technology (S&T) policy until 1986, six years after the ministry was established and has been reviewed over three times; first in 1997, 2003, 2005 and 2012 but yet has not created the relevant impact”.
He emphasized that one of the greatest challenge science and technology and other fields are facing is very poor funding and reiterated that if proper funding can be made accessible to researchers with independent working conditions it will yield the expected positive and bountiful result.
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