Vice-Chancellor of Kwara State University, Malete, Professor Abdulrasheed Na'Allah in this interview says there is need for the new government to make revitalization of public education the cornerstone of the change promised Nigerians. Excerpts

What is the strong hold of Kwara State University (KWASU)?

As a university from the beginning, entrepreneurship is our major preoccupation. We knew the crisis of this nation and we started by insisting that we must bring out students who are ready to create wealth no matter their areas of academic discipline. I am happy to say that each and every student has acquired the skills on wealth creation and as they go out of KWASU, they will not go out looking for employment but to create wealth.

I am very proud to say that these students are not going to be parasites in the society. We expect them to be solutions and not to roam the street and that if they do, KWASU will disown them.

Parents of KWASU students have to collaborate with the university in supporting the students look for ways of ensuring that they begin creating wealth.

If there is no pain, there would be no gain. Some time people say they don't have big money to start business. But it is not money all the time, sometime what you need is that determination, skill, vision and preparation; all of which we've given them and they will start making little money and reinvest until they become Dangotes of Africa.

Can you give an insight into the institution's entrepreneurship fund? Entrepreneurship fund is a fund that we contribute every year through some of the grants that we get and I cannot tell you exactly how much is in this fund currently because it continues to grow.

I just want to make an appeal to industries and Nigerians who feel that this kind of idea of our young people creating wealth is fundamental, is important for the nation to look at our entrepreneurship fund and donate little money there. And I want to promise them that it would be used for the purposes it is brought. We use from this fund to support our students who want to go into businesses and it would be a kind of partnership, it is not free money. By giving them that money make us part of the shareholders of the company they are putting together, that is part of the strategies for it.

As a university, we are very aggressive in creating businesses and mobilizing funds for ourselves. The truth is that is because we are just starting, we are doing lots of things to encourage the larger community to invest and make money. Now that we have a new government in place, what do you think should be the major focus on education?

Public education must be revitalized. Most of us here are products of public education, strong education and excellent education which most of us were very proud of. If you go to any public school where most of us went to, we were ready to tell the whole world our school was the best. We had the best teachers, best equipment, motivation even passion to make a difference in the world. Today unfortunately most Nigerians who want something good for their young pupil take them to private schools.

Today, the only reason is that people have no more confidence in public schools and I think this government must take this as one area of major change for Nigeria. If public education is revitalized and parents begin to have confidence again in public education, a lot of changes will come to this nation.

I know it is important this government look into corruption but I have not heard a lot said about public education and that is extremely important and it has to be a policy focus, the government should declare war or emergency and mobilize from local governments to states to revitalize public education in Nigeria.