President Bola Tinubu has approved the release of N120 billion to the Federal Ministry of Education to advance the ministry’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) agenda.
This came as the federal government prepares to empower at least 650,000 youths with the technical, vocational and digital skills required to meet emerging industrial and labour needs.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, disclosed this yesterday in her speech at the commissioning of the Community and Education Centre at Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State.
Represented by the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Science and Technology, Ikot Abasi, Prof Leo Daniel, the minister said in an effort to expand its TVET agenda, the ministry is set to introduce incentives to attract young Nigerians with payment of monthly stipends, starter packs and payments of take-off grants.
The minister who described education as the bedrock of national development noted that “It is the tool with which we equip our children and youth to face the challenges of the future and the ladder through which individuals and communities can rise to greater heights.”
According to Prof. Said, “It is on this premise that the Federal Ministry of Education under the leadership of Dr. Tunji Maruf Alausa has unveiled the Nigerian Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) with the overarching goal of moving Nigeria from a resource-based economy to a knowledge-based economy.”
The objectives of this, she explained, were the reduction of out-of-school children, the children;reduction in learning poverty, and an increase in skills and human capital for labour market.
“NESRI’s pillars are Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medical Sciences (STEMM), Out-of-school children, Girl-Child Education, Data & Digitalisation and Education Quality Assurance,” she explained.
She said, “In line with this, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the release of N120 billion to advance the TVET agenda of the Ministry of Education.
“Over the next two years, the federal government aims to empower at least 650,000 youths with the technical, vocational and digital skills required to meet the emerging industrial and labour needs.
“This centre, which we will commission today, is much more than bricks and mortar. It is a beacon of hope, a sanctuary for knowledge, and a foundation for the dreams of generations to come. Therefore, the good people of Ikot Abasi and Akwa Ibom in general should leverage these initiatives by the Federal Government in order to provide skills for our teeming youths.
“The Community and Education Centre at Ikot Abasi will serve multiple purposes as a place of learning, as a hub for skills acquisition, digital literacy, adult education, and youth empowerment. It is aligned with the Federal Ministry of Education’s strategic goals to increase access to quality education, bridge the digital divide, and foster inclusive learning opportunities for all.
“We are keenly aware of the challenges facing education in our nation from inadequate infrastructure to low enrolment and retention in rural areas, especially for the girl-child. However, we remain undeterred. Through partnerships with state governments, local communities, and development agencies, we are working tirelessly to close these gaps and ensure that no child is left behind.
“This centre stands as a model of what collaboration and purposeful governance can achieve. It is a call to action for similar initiatives across our nation. We urge educators, parents, and community leaders to take ownership of this facility, to nurture it, and to ensure that it becomes a vibrant and well-utilised asset in the service of our youth and future leaders.”
She charged residents to “see this centre not just as a gift from government but as an opportunity to unlock the limitless potential within their community.
“Let this place produce scholars, innovators, artisans, teachers, and leaders who will make you proud,” she added.
The minister described the Community and Education Centre as a landmark project that not only represents progress in infrastructure but, more importantly, signifies our shared commitment to education, empowerment, and sustainable community development.
She commended the Akwa Ibom State Government for its visionary leadership in prioritising education and support given to the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education (NMEC) in ensuring that the project comes to reality.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Executive Secretary of NMEC, Prof. Simon Ibor Akpama, explained that the momentous event “underscores the importance President Bola Ahmed Tinubu accords to efficacious youth and adult literacy service delivery in Nigeria.”
“In concert with our president’s avowed commitment to improve access to quality education in Nigeria, our visionary, diligent, indefatigable and dynamic honourable ministers of education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa and Prof. Suwauba Said Ahmad, graciously provided the requisite resources and conducive environment for the establishment of this community learning centre.
This Community Learning Centre encapsulates the proactive response of President Tinubu’s administration to eradicating illiteracy, promoting quality inclusive education and providing dynamic and viable economic empowerment avenues for vulnerable youths across Nigeria.
“Embedded in its curriculum structure is a deliberate juxtaposition of a tripartite profile of basic literacy, post-literacy, and vocational skills to empower the hitherto underserved youths and adults of Ikot Abasi extraction. In essence, the centre is not just a building but a beacon of hope, growth and opportunity for the people of Ikot Abasi, which further represents our collective commitment to education, empowerment and the sustainable development of the Ikot Abasi community.
“This Centre will also bridge gaps and create a plethora of self-development conduits within the community. Through the ambience of this Community Learning Centre concept, there is renewed hope for our out-of-school children, youths and adults who must be extricated from the ravages of street life and returned to non-formal education settings. The essence is for these learners to acquire extant knowledge and skills for self-improvement and optimally contribute their quota to national development.
“I therefore urge you all, especially the core beneficiaries of this project, to make optimal use of the facilities and protect them against vandalism,” he said.
He called on the Akwa Ibom Starr Government not only to complement the efforts of the federal government by providing other requisite facilities and help to ensure employment of facilitators whose vital instructional services will effectuate teaching and learning in the Community Learning Centre but also to replicate the centre across all the 31 local government areas of the state. Vanguard