Technical and vocational training has been described as a tool for industrial growth and propellant to unimaginable socio-economic development of a country.
The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu made this known at the commissioning of Nestle Technical Training Centre Flowergate in Sagamu, where he pointed out that Ogun state as the industrial nerve centre of the country had continued to intensify efforts in repositioning technical education in the state.
Arigbabu informed that the present administration efforts to rejuvenate the state economy with focus in reviving the dwindling fortune of education especially the technical and vocational education, which he said remains one of the fulcrum upon which the socio-economic transformation of any nation depends.
The commissioner revealed that as part of government’s efforts to rejigged the sector, it has sponsored the technical school principals on a training course to Germany, internship programme for technical instructors to industries for required skills knowledge, partnering with Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP), a World Bank initiative with a view to transforming the 8 technical colleges to model technical colleges of international standards and many more.
“TVET pivotal role in providing skilled manpower for industries and for self-reliance cannot be overemphasized, it is then important that TVET must be accorded the critical attention it deserves not only by government but by all stakeholders especially the private sector”, he noted.
The commissioner appreciated the contribution of Nestle Food PLC in promoting vocational and technical education especially in the area of industrial training for learners and teachers in the state, this he said would helped equipped the teeming youths with the necessary skills required to make them self employed and employers of labor.
In their goodwill messages, the Akarigbo and paramount ruler of Remoland, His Majesty, Oba Babatunde Ajayi and the Commissioner for Youths and Sport, Dr. Kehinde Oludare commended the initiative of the organization, with promised that government would continue to support them to provide enabling environment to succeed.
In his submission, the Managing Director of Nestle Food PLC, Mr. Wassim Elhusseini said the intention of the company was to ensure people embraced technical skills and training and to also reduce unemployment in the country.