Nigerian Universities have been directed to include entrepreneurial skill in their curriculum in order to make their graduates employers of labour, instead of job seekers.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Rukayatu Rufai Alkali, gave the directive in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, while speaking at the second convocation ceremony of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin.

Rufai stated that university students, upon completion of their courses, are expected to be good in learning and character and in addition, should be able to reduce the unemployment problems in the country by being self reliant.

The minister whose address was read by Prof. Bayo Lawal, warned the universities against compromising standards in their teachings and learning process so that their certificates would not be mere sheets of papers.

She emphasised the need for university lecturers to place more emphasis on carrying out researches, adding that they should not publish and perish but that they should publish to survive.

In his remarks, the governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, who was represented by the state commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Alhaji Saka Onimago, commended the institution for carrying education to greater heights.

The Vice Chancellor, Al-Hikmah University, Professor Sulaiman Abdulkareem, said the university was an off shoot of the College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies (CAILS), Ilorin, adding that the institution graduated 528 students last year.

He put the number of graduands of the 2011/2012 academic session at 455, adding that they would be awarded various degrees in humanities, management and natural sciences.

He said: "In our maiden convocation ceremonies last year, we presented three sets of 528 graduands spread over 2008/2009, 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 sessions for the award of honours and degrees. This is a pointer to the fact that we are making steady progress in the number of graduate turn-out.

"Out of this figure, eight are in first class (honours), 128 are in second class (honours), upper division, 219 are in second class (honours) in lower division, 94 third class, while five had pass. The college of humanities is presenting for graduation 136 students, college of management sciences 193 and college of natural sciences 126.

"I wish to mention the fact that in 2005/2006 when the university commenced academic programmes, it started with a student enrolment figure of 70, in 2010/2011 session, our student population was 2,173, a figure that now stands at 2,759."