Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi says technical education has a major role to play in the development of the country.
The governor, represented by the Chairman, Ekiti State Board for Technical and Vocational Education, Kayode Babade, said in Ado Ekiti on Monday that his administration decided to invest in technical education because it realised that it had a key role to play in national development.
Fayemi said, “A nation that fails to invest in this sector can’t be referred to as a developing nation, let alone a developed one.
“That is why every nation is now investing heavily in technical and technological education.”
He added, “Countries such as China, South Korea, Singapore, France, USA, and Germany are all investing heavily in technical and technological education, because without it, how do you generate power, manufacture automobiles, how do you do the electrical installation, transmit information via satellite, television and radio?
“The state upon realising the values of technological innovations has invested heavily in the Technical College in Ado Ekiti, where pupils are being trained in technical programmes like ceramics, carpentry, and joinery, electrical installation, motor building, ICT, shoemaking, among others.”
The governor said the board had been mandated to organise a one-day programme to sensitise youths, graduates and artisans in the state.
Fayemi added The government that brought the 6-3-3-4 policy really meant well for this country.
“When this policy was introduced, you will discover that a lot of the secondary schools had workshops and tools, but today they are no longer in those schools.
“The greatest problem they had was when they had the tools, there were no teachers.
“A country that will focus on such a system will have five, 10 years training for technical teachers who will come and impact knowledge at the various tiers of the educational system.”