Rector Seeks More Funding For Vocational Training

The Rector,  of Federal
Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra, State Prof. Godwin Onu has called for increased allocation of funds for vocational training as a panacea for Nigeria’s technological development.
Onu said on Tuesday in Awka that a nation where graduates received only theoretical training portend grave danger for growth and development.
He called on governments and private sector organisations to allocate more funds for vocational training, especially in polytechnics and universities to ensure rapid economic and technological development.
He said that the new entrepreneurial and vocational studies curricula for speedy development of the Nigerian economy would suffer set-backs if the call was not taken into consideration.
Onu said that most foreign technical experts working for multinational companies in Nigeria were not university graduates but competent artisans.
“They received practical vocational training in their fields and are now brought into the country to drive our economy,’’ he said.
He said that his institution had commenced certification training for artisans in mechanical, electrical, fashion design, catering, bakery, arts and craft, and electronics.
According to him, it has also introduced some innovative courses to carter for the needs of the 21st century economy.
He named the courses to include Mechatronics Engineering, Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology, Nano Science and Technology, Aviation, Marine Science and Pharmaceuticals.
“We cannot afford to lag behind developing economies. The Asian Tigers have developed their entrepreneurial skills, and it has fast driven their economies to be highly-competitive ahead of other nations.
Onu also advocated longer tenure for serving ministers of education to consolidate the gains of vocational and entrepreneurial studies.
According to him, Nigeria has witnessed several education policy summersaults due to frequent change of ministers in the sector.