COREG charges FG to reinvigorate skills acquisition in schools

The Conference of Registrars of Polytechnics and Colleges of Technology in Nigeria (COREG) has charged the Federal Government to reinvigorate entrepreneurial skills acquisition in schools to arrest the sprawling unemployment among the youths.

fRising from its 71st Regular Meeting held at Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi, Plateau State, recently, the conference called for a review of the education policy in favour of reintroducing craft and vocations at the Junior Secondary School level to provide the foundation for technical and vocational skills for self-employment, job creation, technological development and industrialisation.

COREG in its communiqué signed by its chairperson and Registrar, Yaba College of Technology, Charity Amakapabo, urged the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to put machinery in motion for the establishment of a standing national conference of polytechnic and colleges of technology. The conference it stated would serve as a common forum for management and other stakeholders to address common and emerging issues affecting polytechnic education in Nigeria.

Frowning at the second rate position of polytechnic in funds allocation by the Tertiary Education Fund (TETfund), the conference enjoined the Fund to give priority attention to funding technical and vocational education to achieve the desired acquisition of practical training for technological advancement of the nation.

The COREG called for an urgent roundtable renegotiation of agreement between the Federal Government and the staff unions of polytechnics.

“Both parties should be patriotic, realistic and honest in their positions in the interest of industrial harmony and national development,” it cautioned.

It commended the Plateau State Government for implementing the 65-year retirement age for employees of the state polytechnic and its other tertiary institutions.

Esther Taiwo