Connect with us

FCT News

Stakeholders laud LMF initiative in rallying support for vocational education

Published

on

Share this story

***as over 1,000 students compete in sewing championship in FCT

Stakeholders in the education sector with one voice over the weekend lauded an initiative that has galvanized support across board for Vocational Education to be prioritized in order to provide alternative job opportunities for young graduates, secondary school leavers and school dropouts.

This they said will also serve to douse insecurity that has bedevilled the country over the past decade by keeping the youth busy and making them unavailable as willing tools in the hands of those that specialize in recruiting idle hands for terrorism.The project which is an Incentivised Pilot Schools Sewing Championship being organized and hosted by the FCT education secretariat is an initiative of the Ladi Memorial Foundation (LMF).The Championship held at the six Area Councils of AMAC, Bwari, Kuje, Kwali, Abaji and Gwagwalada simultenously had over 1000 contestants.The project, which is being supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and other partners, is targeted at motivating and harnessing creativity among young adults as well as identifying and promoting talented young skilled artisans and craftsmen of school age.The project which galvanised a lot of solidarity from the sector had the Representatives of the Ministry of Education, FCT education Secretariat, National Business, Technical Examination Board NABTEB, the Home Economics Teachers Association of Nigeria (HETAN) and the National Senior Secondary School Education Board in attendace.The stakeholders all agreed that for the country to wriggle itself out of the present insecurity, entrepreneurship education is the way to go hence the support the project has recieved

The Executive Director of LMF, Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, said participants will undergo both practical and theoretical tests after which the best nine will be selected from each of the six area councils for the next stage.

She said the initiative was designed to sensitize the general public and targeted stakeholders on the benefits of vocational education and livelihood skills development.
Osikoya who was a former Commissioner for education and later Commissioner for environment in Kogi State said the 54 winners that will emerge from the first phase of the competition will undergo a five-day intensive training at a boot camp after which three overall winners will emerge.

She said participants and participating schools that will emerge first, second and third at the end of the competition will get sewing machines and sewing equipment as prizes.

According to her, the targeted beneficiaries/groups include young adults aged 12-20 years who are enrolled in both formal learning centres (JSS and SSS) and out-of-school youths or learners in non-formal learning centres in Abuja.

She said the initiative will bring about the engagement of creativity, innovative traits and boundless energy of young adults in a profitable, productive, rewarding and Incentivised engagement which rewards excellent performance.
According to her one of the education policies established that before a child finishes from a junior secondary school he or she should have functional skills for labour at least he or she should be able to stand on his own as an artisan.
She said the student should be able to practice by himself, adding that if that had gone through, Nigeria would have been having more welders, plumbers and artisans.

However she observed that most of such jobs are being provided by non-Nigerians so the country has to go back to the drawing board

The president, FCT Home Economics Teachers Association of Nigeria (HETAN) Mrs Rifkatu Lami Yisa said she came to observe and see how well the competition was going and how the students were being organised.
On the fact that vocational education had since been relegated to the background in Nigeria she said the teachers have been living up to their biddings in various schools especially those teaching clothing and textile which are part sof the garment making. “In the garment making aspect of clothing and textile a child is expected to put into practice what he has learnt in the class either practically or even theoretically because even at WAEC he is expected to write exams.

“With this, Nigeria would have been better off as it will have created more entrepreneurs because it is able to make them self reliant, is not like the apprenticeship but talking academically and educationally. When students learn of this skills it is a good omen for the profession.
On its sustenance she said with what has been done it will speak and when they lend their voice, it will get some attention.
She admonished the participants not lose hope as someone must come first and second but is not the end.

“They should just learn from their weaknesses and their strengths, learn to identify where some errors occured so that they will be able to share their experiences

The Director National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) Ruth Gyeyok Popoola said,

“The world is now a skilled Centered world and the idea behind this project is to bring the skills out of our children and if you look at the combination, there are some of them that are not in school, some JSS and others SSS, that is to tell you that skills cuts across, it does not choose category, no age barrier, at any point in time one can acquire a skill whether educated or not educated.
“That is the message that we are trying to pass across by bringing out people from the formal and none formal education setting together for the competition
“That is to say children after Junior secondary school can start off a life saving skill which immediately after junior secondary if he or she can not continue may be a lifeline for that child even after his senior secondary school, some may proceed to the university while others may not, that skill they have acquired can be a life sustaining skill for them.”
On whether the Government has failed, she said, no, “if you go to the UK or US if you look at them the professor’s salary may not be up to that of a plumber because when you call a plumber to the house he determines and dictates how much you will pay him but the professor his salary is determined by his employer.
“Skilled people, especially our children who traveled abroad with their PhD they don’t use that to work what they use to work is the skill. Some come back to get skill and go back to use it to work.”

“This has just made us to realise what is good for the citizen. Government can not give everybody white collar jobs. If you look at the students being churned out every year from the university how many jobs would accommodate them. “With skill all these students in this competition will be employers of labour in the nearest future.”

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

FCT News

FCT minister for State performs Zuba Modern Market ground breaking ceremony

Published

on

By

Dr. Mariya Mahmoud
Share this story

Federal Capital Territory Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, has performed the ground breaking for the construction of Zuba Relief Market In the Gwagwalada Area Council under Public-Private Partnership arrangement.
Special adviser on media to the minister Austine Elemue in a statement quoted the minister at the event to indicated that the ceremony is a confirmation of the administration’s commitment to the provision of critical infrastructures to residents, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President.
8
She described the ground breaking was a bold step by the FCT Administration through the Gwagwalada Area Council towards reducing the burden on funding through budgetary allocations.

Explaining further she said, the Zuba Modern Market was awarded to Khuntex Engineering Company Limited in December 2021, on a Public Private Partnership agreement, to redevelop the market to a modern market. 

According to her the agreement was for the Area Council to provide unencumbered land and Khuntex to fund the construction 100 percent.

“To solve the protracted funding issue, the Gwagwalada Area Council decided to explore private sector funding options as we are witnessing today which leverages the utilisation of private sector in exchange for land as a resource for the redevelopement of the Zuba Modern Market, amongst other Public, Private, Partnership (PPP) initiatives”.

While emphasising the importance of robust market infrastructure in rural areas, the minister noted that rural markets serve as the lifeline of countless communities, providing a platform for farmers and artisans to sell their produce and goods.

Mahmoud assured that through collaboration, the rural markets are equipped with modern facilities that would not only enhance the efficiency of agricultural value chains, but also empower rural entrepreneurs to access larger markets and attain better prices for their products.

She said; “the redevelopment of this Zuba modern market under public-private partnerships fosters economic resilience and social inclusion.

“It generates employment opportunities, enhances income levels, and promotes skill development among rural youth”.

In his remarks, the chairmen and chief executive of Khuntex Engineering Company Ltd. Engr. Dayo Jigan, assured that the first phase of the project would be completed in 10 months, as a mark of unwavering commitment and collaborative spirit of two dynamic forces.

He, however, expressed his appreciation to the administration, for their leadership foresight in initiating the remodeling of Zuba modern market.

He described the partnership as a labour of love and dedication.

On his part, the chairman of Gwagwalada Area Councils, Hon. Abubakar Giri, identified the Zuba modern market as one of the major markets that would boost the revenue base of Gwagwalada Area Council. 

He promised that other abandoned markets within the area council would be revived, even as he called on the contractor to complete the construction work within the stipulated period.

Recall that the 618 Zuba modern market will consists of mixed units of open/lock up shops, warehouses, eatery, banking hall, restaurant, police post, fire station, public toilet, bus loading bay as well as other amenities in line with global standard.

Continue Reading

FCT News

Mahmoud rallies support for Renewed Hope Initiative

Published

on

By

Share this story

FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, has urged women leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to come up with ideas that would support the Renewed Hope Initiative of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu to succeed.
The Minister who made this call when women leaders of the APC paid her a sympathy visit in her office.
Special adviser on media to the minister Austine Elemue quoted the Minister to have also tasked them to work together for the interest of all Nigerians.
Mahmoud also reiterated the need to bring women closer, not only when elections are around the corners, but for the purpose of building an inclusive society.
She, however, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his style of leadership, stressing that the government is on the right track towards building an inclusive society.
According to her; “for us to achieve the issue of inclusion, we have to work together. And that is even the logo of our great party, the broom tied together.
“We have to synergize for us to achieve. We have to be working together with synergy. We need to know what is happening in Taraba, we need to know what is happening in Katsina, we need to know what is happening in Imo.

“And more importantly we need to know how we can assist our mother, the First Lady of Federal Republic of Nigeria. What are her methods of getting closer to our women so that we apply same in Kano, we apply same in Katsina and other states of the federation for us to achieve.

“We have to bring these women closer. Not when elections are around the corner. So we need to be close because we need to advise the First Ladies of our states. We have to really work harder. We have to brainstorm and come up with practical ideas”.
While speaking on the recent infrastructural developments in the FCT, Mahmoud assured her guests that before the end of the tenure, residents of the territory would witnessed several changes in terms of infrastructures, agriculture, people’s welfare, education and health sector.
In her words; “And I want to assure you that this is just the beginning. Before the end of the tenure, you will see several changes in terms of infrastructures, in terms of agriculture, in terms of our people’s welfare, and then also education and health sector at large”.
Earlier in her opening remarks, the leader of the delegation and National Deputy Women Leader of the APC, Hajia Zaniab Ibrahim, commended the FCT Minister of State for her team work, noting that the recent changes in the nation’s capital was as a result of committed team work.
While expressing sympathy over the fire incident that gutted the minister’s residence two weeks ago, she however pledged the commitment of APC women to support the programmes and policies of the present. administration.
She said; “the projects we are seeing in recent times in our capital city are worth commendation. We are very happy that both of you are working together for the upliftment of FCT.
“We sincerely hope that these infrastructural development are cascaded to the satellite towns so that our people in the rural areas can feel the impact of the government”.
Present at the occasion were the Senior Special Assistant on Administration and Strategy to FCT Minister of State, Dr. Abdullahi Isah Kauramata, and State Women Leaders of the All Progressives Congress across the federation.

Continue Reading

FCT News

Council of retired Permanent secretaries (CORFEPS) celebrates its week

Published

on

By

Share this story

***President Tinubu to declare event open

The Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries (CORFEPS) is set to celebrate its maiden CORFEPS week, starting with a Colloquium to be declared open by President Bola Tinubu as Special Guest of Honour, Tuesday, 5th March, 2024

A statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by Dr Goke Adegoroye, the National Publicity Secretary of the Council, said the second part will be the Annual General Meeting, at the Atiku Hall, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, on Tuesday 6th of March, 2024 for CORFEPS members only.
According to the statement, the third part will be the Investiture of the Grand Patron, President Tinubu
at the Rotunda Conference Hall of the Tafawa Balewa House, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Adegoroye said the colloquium has as its theme, ‘Reflections on Nigeria’s Public Service: Way Forward for Good Governance’.

“The morning session will be chaired by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former Minister of Finance, His Majesty Oluyemi Falae, the Olu of Ilu-Abo and Baba Oba of Akure Kingdom.

“The afternoon session will be chaired by Amb. Babagana Kingibe, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and former Minister of Foreign Affairs,” Adegoroye said.

In his words, “Pursuant to its aims and objectives, CORFEPS under its current Chairman has decided to institute the CORFEPS WEEK as a yearly event preferably in the first quarter of each year.
“Commencing this year where, in addition to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) as stipulated in its Articles of Association, members will focus on an issue of national importance which will be exhaustively discussed with a view to providing recommendations on the way forward.
“The CORFEPS WEEK this year has been slated for 5-7 March 2024 and it is coming at an opportune period to enable us celebrate one of the icons of the Nigerian Civil Service, Izoma Philip Asiodu, founding Chairman of CORFEPS and Chairman of the Council’s Board of Trustees, who was 90 years old on 26 February 2024.
Adegoroye listed the Lead Speakers to include, Dr. Bukar Usman, who os highly distinguished retired Perm Sec in the Presidency, who is to give the general overview while Dr. Timiebi Koripamo Agary, OON retired Perm Sec will present the Insider’s Perspective
According to the statement, Mr. Martins Oloja, MD/Editor-In-Chief of The Guardian, Nigeria’s foremost Journalist on Public Policy, will present the Outsider’s Perspective
The statement explained further, there will be three discussants for the Colloquium, all retired Perm Secs, to include Amb (Dr.) Godknows B. Igali, Ammuna Lawan Ali, and Dr. Goke Adegoroye.

Continue Reading

Trending