The Nation Newspaper

Tag: technical college

  • Lagos trains 4,000 artisans to tackle building collapse

    Lagos trains 4,000 artisans to tackle building collapse

    Lagos State Government has graduated 200 out of the 4,000 master craft artisans, currently undergoing training in various fields, to help curb the challenges of building collapse in the state.

    The State Governor, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, who spoke Thursday at the graduation ceremony held at Technical College, Ikotun, said with this training Nigerians will no longer need to source for services of artisans such as carpenters, steel fabricators plumber, electricians, painters, tilers outside our borders.

    Ambode, who was represented ‎by the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Babatunde Durosimi-Etti, said the project was flagged-off 8 months ago to train, retrain and certify the beneficiaries with 21st century skill required for the much needed technological development

    He reiterated his administration’s commitment to bridging the skill gap in the building sector, saying that ‎the multiplier effect of the initiative on the economy will include creation of job opportunities, economic empowerment and increased market share for local craftsmen among others.

    “In addition to the acquired training, each certified master craftsman will be empowered with tools of their trade and work gears by the state government. Their names and areas of specialty will also be uploaded on-line in our database as registered craftsmen for easy ‎access by members of the public who may require their services” he said.

    He assured residents of the competence of the certified master craftsmen which he said will deliver on any given task.

    Also speaking, the state’s Commissioner for Housing, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, said that the training would help in addressing ugly challenges of building collapse, saying that with the trained artisans, Lagos would have less inexperienced artisans who have been identified as being responsible for building collapse.

    The Commissioner, said the 200 graduating artisans would also train more residents, adding that millions of naira spent on sourcing for skilled artisans in the neighbouring countries would no longer be wasted as the state could now boast of experienced craftsmen.

    Lawal said in addition to the training, each certified master craftsman was empowered with tools of their trade and work gears with by the state government through the Ministry of Housing.

    “Today’s graduands were trained for 6 weeks in the following skills: masonry (block making, bricklaying, concrete works, tiling, paving stones, POP, furniture, carpentry, plumbing, pipe-works, electrical and painting.

  • Osun: Students protest alleged extortion by Peace Corps members

    Students of Technical College, Osogbo, on Wednesday embarked on a protest over alleged extortion by members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria deployed in the school as security personnel.

    The protest, which almost degenerated into a crisis, started when a Peace Corps member detained a student identified as Bakare Hammed for coming late to the school.

    The Peace Corps member was said to have dispossessed the student of N6,000.

    It was learnt that after the money was collected from Hammed, he mobilised other students to confront the Peace Corps member, which resulted in a clash between the students and the Peace Corps members.

    Hammed, who spoke with newsmen, complained of incessant extortion of students by members of the Peace Corps in the process of punishing  students  for lateness.

    “They are fond of extorting us for coming late to school; I have explained to them times without number that my house is far from the school and this is responsible for my lateness.

    “I reside at Container area around Oke-baale. When I came late again today, the peace corps official detained me and collected a sum of N6,000 from me;  the money is meant for part payment of my NABTEB exams.

    “I later mobilised my friends to get my money back from him and this resulted into a clash before members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria came to arrest us,” he said.

    The Head of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria in Osun, Mr. Mukaila Oyedokun, said members of the group came to the scene to douse the tension between members of the Peace Corps and students of the school.

    Also reacting, the Commandant of the Peace Corps in the state, Mr. Ayinde Kayode, debunked the allegation of extortion by his men, saying members of the group were not involved in the incident.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Folashade Odoro, said the police had been able to put the situation under control.

     

  • Benin Technical College alumni to partner govt

    The Old Students Association of the Benin Technical College has promised to partner with the Edo State government to build a block of classrooms in its alma mater.

    It praised Governor Godwin Obaseki for taking steps to resuscitate the 40-year college.

    President of the association, Mrs Debby Odejimi, said this when the association visited Obaseki to thank him for plans to boost technical education in the state.

    Mrs Odejimi said the association was already raising funds to build toilet facilities in the school.

    She appealed to the Governor to help recover a large portion of the college land that has been overtaken by developers and herdsmen.

     

  • Technical College graduates float firms

    About 90 graduates of Government Technical College (GTC), Ikorodu, Lagos trained in carpentry, plumbing, blocklaying and tiling have established companies to ply their trades.

    The Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, presented 25 of the firms with certificates of registration issued by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) at a special graduation for the students after undergoing a Technical Skills Development Programme sponsored by the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).

    She praised NECA and ITF for collaborating with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) on the training, calling for more of such partnerships.

    “This administration has decided to pay more attention to reforming our technical colleges with the infusion of entrepreneurship education.  This administration would therefore continue to encourage private partnerships in order to frontally address the problems of unemployment, a core social challenge in the state,” she added.

    LASTVEB’s Executive Secretary, Mr Olawumi Gasper said the partnership was the product of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NECA-ITF signed in 2013 to support the incubation of startups in construction.

    Given the quality of training the graduates received during the programme, Gasper expressed confidence their companies would do well.

    “They have received strong training in entrepreneurship development and in the three selected areas at the GTC Ikorodu, in addition to supervised internships, business plan submission and strong mentorship from successful building sub-contractors and contractors.  We are happy to inform parents, guardians and our stakeholders that 75 of the students, from plumbing, carpentry, and blocklaying/tiling have already incorporated business entities.  These new micro-enterprises will now be the new face of providing quality services in some residential estates in Lagos area,” he said.

    One of the graduands, Adaraloye Aladejobi, urged NECA and ITF to continue to fund the initiative so that others can benefit.

    “We appreciate NECA and ITF for collaborating with the government to train us. I appeal that the programme be continued for the benefit of other students coming behind. With this, graduates of GTC will not have to search for white collar jobs but we will be employers,” he said.

  • UK team visits Lagos technical college

    UK team visits Lagos technical college

    A team of United Kingdom (UK) delegates has paid a visit to the Government Technical College, Ikeja.

    This is to further the exchange programme between the two bodies.

    The visit, which is the fifth of its kind by the team, is to further strengthen the relationship between the five technical colleges in Lagos.

    Speaking at the event, the Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, said the ministry is committed to facilitating the connection with schools in Lagos and UK.

    She said: “It’s a kind of partnership meant for us to see what they are doing there that is good, and we can copy. At the same time, they (UK) want to see what we are doing because these days, I don’t think anybody or any part of the world has monopoly of knowledge.”

    Mrs Oladunjoye took the delegates led by Principal, Paignton Community and Sports Academy, Paigton, Mrs Jane English for a facility tour of the college, especially the state-of-the-art Samsung Academy built in the school premises.

    Mrs Oladunjoye added: “Technology is the way out of the woods and we are ensuring that we have technological equipment to build the capacity of our teachers and ensure that our students have skills that will make them employable. Even today, you must have skills that will make you employable and not just any kind of knowledge.”

    Mrs Jane English said her team’s visit aims at developing links with school in Lagos and UK.

    She said: “We have been quite successful with this already. Many more schools in the UK will like to develop their links with Lagos schools which also enjoy having a link with UK schools. The link doesn’t just last for a short period of time. While am here, it will take place over a year or two. We would use technology, skype to get our children to talk to each other. The purpose of linking the two schools is to develop international understanding and also share good practice among the teaching staff.”

    The Executive Secretary Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Olawunmi Gasper, noted that the visit encourages exposure and boosts school to school exchange programme.

    “We send our teachers down; they are here now; some teachers were there last year, it’s all about exposure of our teachers and also to allow them see us the way we are and what we do,” he added