IDEAS: Stakeholders proffer solutions to gaps around Technical, Vocational Education
…..Only 35% Teachers in Technical Colleges in N/East technically inclined
By Chima Azubuike
Out of 1,334 Technical College Teachers in North-East, 1088 are males, while just about 246 are females.
However, only 35 per cent of the teachers in technical colleges are technical teachers, 65 per cent others have conventional biases in other areas.
Speaking, Tony Okwa, Chairman of Human Resource Strategy for Skills Development Committee, disclosed this on Monday in Gombe, during a sensitisation workshop for state and non-state actors for Technical and Vocational Education Teachers stakeholders in the North-East.
Our Correspondent reports that the workshop was organised by Federal Ministry of Education under the Innovation Development and Effectiveness in the Acquisition of Skills project with support from World Bank.
Abia, Kano, Gombe, Edo, Ekiti and Benue include the participating states for the IDEAS project.
Okwa, who was represented by Engineer Ejoga Inalegwu, noted that women should be encouraged to seek career path in technical education, adding that such disparity could affect women access to technical education in the region.
He said, “In North-East out of 1334 technical teachers of technical colleges 1088 are males only 246 are female that is not acceptable if we are to make advancement in technical education and make it relevant.
“We can’t neglect an entire women folks in technical skills we need them and need to bring them on board. Only 35 per cent of teachers in technical colleges are technical teachers, 65 per cent are for English, Mathematics, Biology and other subjects.”
The Chairman noted that many technical technical teachers have not gone on trainings in technical advancement but on just methodology, “When some of them were asked they said there was no incentive, support the ministries are not funding technical education in their area of interest. In the whole of North-East only one private technical college in Adamawa,” he added.
Also speaking, Professor Simon Yalams, who doubles as component three National Consultant, called for motivation of technical teachers to avert brain drain.
He said, “In my presentation I did say that the strategy we are developing may look like skill development constitution a lot of provisions are been made to motivate teachers on ground and increase their number to avoid brain drain, if they trained, motivated and promoted at when due they have career progression I think they will not think of going outside but rather stay to impact the people here.
“We considered that Nigeria is lagging behind in terms of emerging skills for the economy for the industry that was why the Federal Ministry of Education embarked on this project and got the support of the World Bank.
“By involving in this project it means our technical teachers and instructors will get new skills be retrained and they in turn will go and train the students in the emerging skill areas.”
While decrying the disparity Yalams noted that it varies from place to place, “in some places it is in favour of the males and in some parts it in the favour of females. But generally, we know females need to be encouraged to embrace technical and vocational education and government should all she can to assist, to facilitate this endeavour,” the consultant said.
He added that the support on funding, human resource are part of the challenges of private partnership in technical education.
On her part, Gombe State Commissioner for Education Aishatu Maigari, said the declaration of state of emergency by the current administration has been pivotal in educating the female folks.
She noted that the current administration has has decisive policies centred around education.
“Under the BESDA programme he has created a lot of girl child centres. In the mega schools created he established a girls exclusive one; we have government girls Science technical college in Amada. We have A lot of girl initiated programmes in Gombe,” Maigari said.
Also, IDEAS National Project Coordinating Unit Blessings Ogwu, who was represented by Uche Mbaogu, Deputy Director Federal Ministry of Education said, “the proposed collaboration of the private sector with government owned Technical Colleges (TCs) is aimed at increasing access to acquisition of various skills and ultimately serve the needs of industries and self employment of citizens.”
