The Rivers State government has signed an agreement with a German firm, Zentralstelle fur die Weiterbildung im Handwerk ZWH to manage its new Technical/Vocational Educational training centre in Port Harcourt.
The Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi and the Attorney General of the state, Wogu Boms signed on behalf of the Rivers State government while ZWH President Holger Puchalla signed for the German firm last Friday at the Rivers State Ministry of Justice, Port Harcourt.
The new centre will offer training in Fashion design, hair dressing and cosmetics; Construction (brick laying, sanitary/plumber, electrical, tiling, stucco plasterer), Metal work (including welding and marine welding), and Woodwork (cabinet making, carpentry/joinery). Along the line, Mechatronics will be added.
Dame Lawrence-Nemi said the TVE centre is part of the government’s economic reform agenda to equip youths with skills that can help them get self or paid employment.
Commending Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for initiating the project, the Commissioner noted that the state’s focus on TVE is as a result of recommendations from the Rivers State Education Summit that held last month.
“The state is desirous of reviving technical education so as to equip the youths with different vocational skills that will empower them financially. Technical and Vocational Education is one of the key resolutions of the 2013 Rivers State Education Summit in Port Harcourt,” she said.
Calling on youths to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the government to empower themselves, Dame Lawrence-Nemi said candidates only need to possess the West Africa Senior School Certificate (WASSCE) to be admitted at the centre. She also said that the state will upgrade the other technical centre located on Aba Road stressing that an Israeli firm will manage the school after the upgrade.
On his part the Attorney-General of the State, Wogu Boms explained that the contract would be executed in phases – with the Phases A and B already agreed upon.
He said the centre will be operational from next month.
The President of ZWH, Holger Puchalla said that their aim of coming to Nigeria is promote vocational education, stressing that the firm will bring German standard to the vocational centre so the state has qualified manpower to run its economy. He added that agreement will yield huge profit for the two countries.
“Rivers State is an emerging state, where economy is really prospering and which is heading for the right direction. But we all know and this is not a secret to the world that economic prosperity depends on qualified and skilled employees”, he said.
Giving the vote of thanks, Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Education, Dr Richard Ofuru said that the centre will afford many youths the opportunity to learn different vocational skills on offer in the school.
The training curriculum, which will meet Germans standards, will accommodate local conditions and. The programme of engagement, are divided into phases A,B,C and D. Part of the objectives of the programme is to provide trainee with management and entrepreneurial skills.
