Education

Make tourism studies compulsory in schools, expert tells FG

Published

5 years ago

October 27, 2021

Mrs Nanna Yakubu, a Tourism professional has called on the Federal Government to make the study of tourism as a subject compulsory in schools to harness its benefit.

Yakubu made this call at her official book launch titled “Introduction to Tourism Studies for Schools and Colleges” in Abuja on Tuesday.

She said that what inspired her to write the book was to help the Nigerian children understand the country’s tourism so as to benefit from the industry.

According to her, getting the vision early will no doubt enable them understand the requirements and sway them into better decision making in the tourism sector.

“This will further sway them toward making good decisions for the industry in future. It’s believed that when we cash them young, they will be more informed.

“And the younger generation needs to be properly trained and adequately informed to be knowledgeable about tourism assets and opportunities in Nigeria and with that
they can build careers in the sector.”

Yakubu further explained that the narratives of how the book began and was gradually nurtured to the end was as a result of her ardent belief and passion for tourism especially here in Nigeria.

“The journey of my book started ten years ago when I was engaged in an adhoc assignment as one of the resource persons to plan, develop and critic tourism as a curriculum to be inculcated in schools as an
entrepreneurial subject.

“During the assignment, we had very little local resource materials to work with and we had to refer mostly to foreign educational writers on tourism.

“During this period, we discovered there was a widening gap.

“The idea came to me that if we want our schools to understand the Nigerian tourism sector, we must use our local materials, illustrations and examples for them to comprehend,”she further explained.

The tourism expert also noted that Nigeria was blessed with tourist attractions
ranging from cultural, natural and manmade attractions, hence “this catch them young project could be achieved with all of us putting our hands together.”

Earlier, in his remarks, Dr Taiwo Famogbiyele, the book reviewer noted that the study of tourism in schools and colleges would certainly add value to knowledge.

Famogbiyele, who is also the Director of Studies, National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism said that its study would enhance the understanding of Nigerian tourism space.

Also in her speech, the Commissioner for Tourism, Plateau state, Mrs Tamwakat Weli,
tourism had been identified as the next economic grower of nations and in Nigeria as the next option to oil.

Weli, who was represented by the General Manager, Plataeu state Tourism Corporation, Jos, Mrs Salome Bidda, commended the efforts of the author in contributing to the growth
and development of the sector.

“As Tourism grows through her
enormous contributions, it has become necessary that the general populace should understand what tourism is all about,
to be able to cue in for maximum benefits.

“This book therefore
provides insights to the correct processes of Tourism Development and study of Tourism in the Nation’s Secondary schools and Colleges.

“This book will no doubt bring an
improvement on Tourism Studies. The benefits no doubt, will be felt at every level of the diverse sectors of our economy.,” she said.

The book titled “Introduction to Tourism Studies for Schools and Colleges”,
a research work of many years was published in August 2020.

It was subsequently submitted to the Federal Ministry of Education for assessment through the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council

The book having met the requirements and approval was recommended as a textbook for schools and colleges in Nigeria.

The author, Nanna Yakubu is a Tourism professional, who works with Nigerian Tourism Department Corporation.

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Education

Igbinedion University, EduTech Global Partner On Digital Education, Access

Mr. Femi Shonubi, Co-Founder/CTO – EduTech Global

Published

2 months ago

August 18, 2026

The Gleamer

Cyril Ogar

Igbinedion University, Okada, one of Nigeria’s leading private universities, has entered into a strategic partnership with EduTech Global to accelerate its digital learning ambitions, expand access to its academic programmes to students in the country.

Through the partnership, EduTech will provide digital learning infrastructure and technology support for the University’s Distance Learning Centre (DLC), thereby enabling learners to access quality university education beyond the conventional campus environment.

The partnership reflects Igbinedion University’s ambition to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape by combining its academic heritage with technology, innovation and new models of learning that contribute to national workforce development.

Speaking on the partnership, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, said the collaboration represented a significant step in the university’s ambition to produce graduates equipped for national and global impact.

He said: “At Igbinedion University, our mandate has always been to lead in producing graduates equipped for national and global impact. This partnership with EduTech Global represents a bold step into the future of higher education in Nigeria.
“By expanding our digital learning infrastructure, we are not just breaking down geographical barriers; we are actively contributing to national workforce development by ensuring that quality, industry-aligned education is accessible to every driven learner, regardless of location.”

In his remarks, Director, Igbinedion University Distance Learning Centre, Prof. Gideon Bawa, said the university was motivated by the opportunity to transform its existing processes, which hitherto were being handled manually, and build a more efficient and scalable distance learning model.

The Director clarified: “The growth recorded by institutions that have leveraged EduTech’s technology and expertise was a major factor in our decision to engage the company. We are confident that this partnership will position Igbinedion University to achieve significant growth in enrolment while strengthening the quality and efficiency of our Distance Learning Centre.”

“With this partnership, we expect to move most of our administrative and academic activities online through EduTech. This will improve efficiency, enhance the learner experience and allow our facilitators and students to engage more effectively through a connected digital learning environment”, Bawa added.

Commenting on the collaboration, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, EduTech Global, Femi Shonubi, pointed out that technology had been redefining the boundaries of what a university can offer, adding that EduTech’s role extends beyond putting courses online.

Shonubi expatiated: “Technology’s true value lies in its ability to drive tangible socio-economic impact through education. By dismantling physical boundaries, we are empowering institutions like Igbinedion University to democratise access to high-quality learning. This is about more than online courses; it is about developing a resilient, highly skilled workforce at scale to meet the demands of the modern economy.

“We are helping institutions build connected learning ecosystems that support the student journey from application and enrolment through learning, assessment and graduation. Igbinedion University’s ambition to lead in innovative education aligns strongly with what we are building at EduTech.”

General Manager, Edutech Global, Moyosore Asubiojo said the partnership arises as demand grows for flexible higher education among working professionals, entrepreneurs and learners seeking alternatives to traditional full-time campus education.

She asserted that by combining Igbinedion University’s academic competence with EduTech’s technology capabilities, the collaboration will create new pathways to quality education and workforce development while enabling the University to expand beyond its traditional geographical footprint.

Analysts believe that the partnership between the university and the tech company represents a shared commitment to making higher education more accessible, flexible and scalable, while positioning the university to compete and lead in the next generation of technology-enabled education in Nigeria and globally.

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