FG Approves Establishment of 16 New Science, Technical Colleges, Promotes Functional Education

* Appropriate skills, education keys to the nation's survival, says Wike

Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, has said the federal government has approved the establishment of new Federal Science and Technical Colleges in 16 States in its effort to reposition the nation's educational system for self-reliance.

This is as Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said no nation could develop without appropriate education and skills by its citizens.

In a keynote address at the opening ceremony if the 64th Meeting of the National Council on Education (NCE) in Port Harcourt on Thursday, Minister of Education,  Adamu, said the Federal Government is working towards developing a functional educational system that will make citizens self-reliant.

He said: "There is no doubt that Technical and Vocational Education and Training holds the key to the development of our country's industrial sector, thus the challenges of youth unemployment can best be addressed through quality education that guarantees self-reliance.

 

'Entrepreneurship Education and training is globally acknowledged as an important strategy for tackling youth unemployment.  In our drive to reposition education for self reliance,  particular attention has been given to  the development of technical,  vocational and entrepreneurial skills in learners as the present Administration has trained over 500 science,  vocational and mathematics teachers on the use of modern equipment and new approaches in schools."

Adamu added that the Federal Government is improving access to quality education in different parts of the country.

While declaring open the meeting, Rivers State Governor,  Nyesom Wike, stated that the nation can only attain development when the citizens are empowered with the right knowledge and appropriate skills to contribute to national growth.

He said educational empowerment would equip the citizens to sustain themselves.

 He said: "The reality is that no country can be politically stable, economically robust and socially secure and cohesive if the citizens are not empowered with knowledge, appropriate skills and the right values to sustain themselves and contribute meaningfully to the progress of the country."

He called for the promotion of  inclusive and equitable quality education to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all  by 2030.

He said: "Agenda 2030 is therefore a call to action on our collective commitments to transformative education by addressing all forms of exclusion, disparities and inequities and ensuring that every child, irrespective of social background, cultural affiliation, location and family or income status is not left behind but have equal and equitable access to quality and transformative public education.”