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ABEOKUTA: Ogun State Government has described artisans as crucial to the socio-economic development and their relevance in the labour market cannot be over-emphasised.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Technical Education, Prof. Joseph Odemuyiwa, stated this during monitoring visits to Government Science and Technical College, Ayetoro and Government Technical and Vocational College, Oke-Ijeun, Abeokuta, noting that those who graduated from vocational institutes were successful, contrary to misconceptions on Technical Education.
Prof. Odemuyiwa said that skilled technicians and artisans could be entrepreneurs and employers of labour in their chosen trades and vocation, adding that failure to develop skills in craftsmanship in technical colleges, could lead to youth unemployment.
He noted that there was need for placement officers to mentor learners on valuable trades that would be needed in the State and the country at large, urging students and staff to engage more in practicals to improve their knowledge, as consistent practice would help sharpen their skills.
The Special Adviser further charged stakeholders to gear up their social responsibility services by using indigenous materials for improved skills in craftsmanship, thereby making the youth self-reliant in different trades, for the advancement of the society.
In his contribution, the representative, Education Trust Fund, Yewa North, Alhaji Wasiu Akinyemi, applauded the present administration for its strides in the development of education, pledging readiness to partner the State Government in retaining the existing trades in the college.
In their separate remarks, the Principals, Government Science and Technical College Ayetoro and Government Technical and Vocational College, Mr. Adeboye Akinlotan and Mrs. Omolara Ajala, respectively, appealed to the State Government to engage artisans from technical colleges in some of its projects, which they noted, would encourage the students and make technical education more acceptable in the society.
They pledged to impart more knowledge in the students, to improve their lives and make them self-reliant, so as to create economic values, which would advance the society.
