NAN-H-3
Robotics
By Grace Alegba
Lagos, May 26, 2017 (NAN) Osazie Iyekepolo, an engineer, has called for a review of the engineering syllabus in universities to include robotics in order to speed up Nigeria’s industrialisation process.
Iyekepolo, who is the Maintenance Superintendent, Instruments, Lagos-based flour mill made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Cue in audio (Iyekepolo)
“Automation basically is the use of computerised systems to control processes and systems; it assists you to control various elements.
“For robotic machines in Nigeria, we are not there yet hopefully we should be soon, but for automation, we are there.
“We have a lot of factories highly automated; the manual system has been phased out in most places.
“When it comes to automation the market is there, the people are there, the system is there; what we need now is the next level – robotics.
“That is the level we should be aspiring to at the moment.
“If we want to encourage robotics we first have to encourage automation.
“In our universities, a lot of curriculums need to be totally revised because a lot of universities are still teaching operations amplifiers.
“Those things have been miniaturised
“And it just comes on a card; there should be a total revision of our educational system and the practical part of it needs to be taught.
“Yes we have the six months IT but how many companies take these young people.
“We need to change our curriculum totally; we are still applying old principles.
“The world is not waiting for us.’’
Cue out audio
Iyekepolo, who is also a member of the Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE), called on lecturers who are members of the society to push for the curriculum change.
He also appealed to individuals and companies to sponsor courses on automation and robotics in the universities. (NAN)
GA/DOR/YEE
Edited by Nyisom Dore/Emmanuel Yashim
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