L-R: Chairman of the Science Technical and Vocational Schools Management Board (STVSMB), Enugu State, Dr. Amaka Ngene (7), and the post-graduate lecturer on Peace and National Cohesion at the IPCDS, Dr. Ben Nwoye (8), with others in a group photograph during the visit…
By Tony Adibe
The Chairman of the Science, Technical, and Vocational Schools Management Board (STVSMB), Enugu State, Dr. Amaka Ngene, has reiterated the urgent need for Nigeria to focus on producing new generations of youths who are skilled and technologically driven for the advancement of Nigeria’s economy.
Also, a lecturer on Peace and National Cohesion at the “Good Governance Class” Post-Graduate of PhD and M.Sc students of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) from the Institute for Peace, Conflict, and Development Studies (IPCDS), of the university, Dr Ben Nwoye explained how good governance had practically translated to revamping technical and vocational education at the Government Technical College (GTC), Enugu.
Nwoye was quick to add that good governance, as demonstrated by Governor Peter Mbah-led administration, “is not rocket science.” However, Dr Ngene insisted that no nation in the 21st century could advance, or make any meaningful headway in any sector of her economy without the contribution of technological and skilful youths
The (STVSMB) Chairman, said this when she received the “Good Governance Class” Post-Graduate of PhD and M.Sc students of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) from the Institute for Peace, Conflict, and Development Studies (IPCDS), of the university who were at the remodelled Government Technical College (GTC), Enugu on an internship visit.
NewsBits recalls that the newly remodeled GTC, Science and Vocational Education Center, Enugu was recently commissioned by the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu during her visit to Enugu State.
Dr. Ngene said, it was against the background of making sure that Enugu state “realizes her dream of producing youths that are self-reliant and technologically driven”, and that could help in driving the state economy in the nearest future, that the governor of the state, Dr. Peter Mbah, on assumption of office, prioritised education.
She said that the administration allocated 33.3 % of the state’s annual budget to the all-important sector, adding that the administration has committed about N2 billion in the remodelling project.
The concept of the Center was to “grow a new generation of the state-skilled youths that would be empowered and technically driven, who upon graduation could earn a living as well as contribute to the society”, according to her.
Dr. Ngene, who conducted the students around various departments of the Centre, explained that over 100 science and vocational education teachers were currently undergoing training in the state to bridge the gap between technical and vocational education.
She narrated to the students how the current administration met a dilapidated GTC and how the school was transformed within a short period by the state government.
But a post-graduate lecturer on Peace and National Cohesion at the IPCDS, who led the students, Dr. Ben Nwoye, explained that the essence of the visit was to enable the students to evaluate good governance as demonstrated by the state governor, who allocated 33.3 % of the state budget to education.
Nwoye, who spoke to journalists during the visit, explained that the visit would also afford the students the opportunity of seeing how good governance had translated to revamping technical and vocational education at the Government Technical College (GTC) , Enugu.
Nwoye, who was accompanied on the visit by the Institute’s Academic Coordinator, Dr. Chiedozie Nwafor, who represented the IPCDS Director, Professor Felix Asogwa, said: “I teach governance, and to me, governance is not just theoretical. “We cannot be talking about governance and the principles of governance without finding a method of demonstrating to the students what governance is.”
He further said: “Today we came to GTC and met with the chairman of the management board, Dr. Amaka Ngene, and the Directors to show us what happened, who is responsible for the transformation, and how it happened.
“Is good governance achieved through technological advancement? We want to know it practically. That is why we engaged in what I call a one-day internship; my students are advanced.”
“We can’t just be developing these and coming up with theories and publications, yet what is on the ground doesn’t match what is on paper. So, they have come here, they have seen what the last administration left, and they have seen what the new administration, the new board are putting on board led by Governor Peter Mbah.”
Nwoye further spoke on the vision of Governor Mbah and the future of education in the state. “They have also seen the vision, it is not just what is on ground but the vision of where the future is , why would governor Peter Mbah decide to allocate 33.3 % of the states’s budget to education? We want to see why exactly he decided to do that. We want to see where the money is going into,” he said.
