Unemployment: Mrs Fayemi tasks Ekiti youths on technical education

 

The wife of Ekiti governor, Bisi Fayemi, has advised youths to embrace technical education in order to decongest the labour market.

The governor’s wife gave the advice in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday when the Chairman of the State Board for Technical and Vocational Education, Hon. Kayode Babade, paid her a visit.

She reiterated Gov. Kayode  Fayemi’s  promise to resuscitate all the technical colleges across the state.

“With what I heard, read and watched, the one in Ado-Ekiti is now a model.

“The governor has therefore assured that policies in the education sector would be geared toward improving technical and vocational education in the state.

“There is need for parents to enrol their children in any of the technical colleges across the state.

“I want to appreciate what the present government is doing in reducing the rate of unemployment in the state.

“I watched the news during the last lecture you organised for the students and could see that government has equipped the college in Ado-Ekiti to function effectively.

”I will like to appeal to our youths to take this advantage to become experts in any vocation of their choice which is crucial to save the nation from economic crisis and youth unemployment,”she said.

She stressed the need for a paradigm shift from the erroneous perception that skills acquisition was meant for the academically weak, noting that technical education remained a potent weapon for socio-economic development.

The governor’s wife promised to embark on a facility tour of the technical college in Ado-Ekiti to ascertain areas of partnership.

Babade, who had earlier congratulated the governor’s wife on her recent Zik Leadership Award, thanked the governor for his commitment toward restoring the lost glory of technical and vocational education in the state.

He said that efforts were in top gear to commence the second phase of the project that would uplift facilities at the other four technical colleges located in Igbara-Odo, Ijero, Otun and Ikole-Ekiti.

“We don’t want our youths to be roaming the streets looking for white collar job; the rate of graduate unemployment is increasing just because most do not have employable skills that can make them self sustainable.

“We appreciate the present government for its value for education and its vision and mission to have an Ekiti State where the people can thrive and live in dignity.

” It is therefore imperative for unemployed youths to appropriately harness and embrace this form of education to curb high rate of unemployment and the consequent societal ills.

“There is no doubt that technical and vocational education has the potential of improving the socio-economic sector of the state and the country in general.

“Today, the world is dominated by technical education experts. Any nation that is lagging behind in this respect is dead and we want our people to understand that. Today, you are a better person when you can use your brain and hands,” he said.

-NAN