UI Don Advocates Service Learning In Curricula To Tackle Unemployment, Boost Skills

 

Governments and educational institutions across Nigeria have been urged to integrate service learning into school curricula through supportive policies and adequate funding, in order to equip students with practical workplace experience and employability skills required in today’s labour market.

The call was made by Dr. Tolulope V. Gbadamosi, Guest Lecturer and Principal Investigator on a research that was sponsored by the Education Collaborative Network, Ashesi University, Accra, Ghana during a hybrid webinar themed “Service Learning Model for Enhancing Graduate Employability of Professional Students in the University of Ibadan.”

Dr. Gbadamosi explained that the service learning model, developed by a group of researchers, was designed to help students acquire critical skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving areas she noted many graduates currently lack.

“Service learning is learning from the workplace while still in the classroom. It is incorporated into the curriculum in such a way that students not only grasp the theory but also experience its practical application in real-life contexts while rendering services,” she said.

Dr. Gbadamosi emphasized that service learning goes beyond teaching practice, internship and students industrial work experience schemes by identifying workplace challenges and offering solutions. According to her, this approach enables students to apply classroom knowledge directly to societal needs while making meaningful contributions to their communities.

Highlighting its broad benefits, Dr. Bose Orimadegun, one of the Co-investigators, stressed that service learning bridges the three core functions of universities: teaching, research, and community service.

“For academia, it makes teaching more relevant to students and societal needs. For institutions, it strengthens their mandate of teaching, research, and service. And for students, it builds employability skills, shapes attitudes, and better prepares them for post-graduation life,” she added.

She further revealed that the initiative has established partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and private establishments including the Oyo State Mediation Centre and Emmanuel Chambers(Afe Babalola) where law students gained hands-on exposure to dispute resolution. Other collaborators include the Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan; GIS Consult Bodija, Ibadan; Immanuel College High School, Orita-UI; Total Healthcare Diagnostics; and Genelab, Bodija, Ibadan.

The team members driving the University of Ibadan service learning project are: Dr. Tolulope  Gbadamosi (Department of Arts and Social Science Education); Dr. Bose Orimadegun (Department of Chemical Pathology); Prof. Olutoyin Fashae (Department of Geography); Dr. Bukola Ochei (Department of Public Law)