Technical Vocational Training is tool for revamping economy – AOCOED

The importance of technical and vocational training to the unwholesome state of the economy which was plunged into depression cannot be overemphasised as it leads to sustainable entrepreneurship.

This came to the fore at the 3rd national conference of the School of Vocational and Technical Education, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) Otto-Ijanikin, Lagos when stakeholders gathered to discuss the prospects of Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in revamping depressed economy.

In his keynote address, Director of Technical and Vocational Services at the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Mr. Laolu Oguntuyi stressed that TVET is a bridge to the future but there must be an employment road to which it leads, otherwise there would be problems.

“We need not just a revitalised and more coherent TVET programme, but a new vision for TVET and employment linking education, training, employment and social welfare nationally and internationally”, he said.

Oguntuyi defined technical education as a structured system aimed at providing recipients with the necessary knowledge and skills to continue their studies at tertiary education level or to exercise a profession in order to be integrated into the labour market.

In this era that is characterised by the challenge of globalisation, rapid technological changes and economic uncertainty, he said, it is imperative that all stakeholders work together to develop legislation and policies, establish institutional structures and redesign curricula to ensure that TVET caters adequately to the varied needs of all members of the society.

“Government, industry and other stakeholders must recognise both the monetary and non-monetary benefits of TVET, thus funding must be taken seriously while government and private sectors should also recognise it as an investment and not a cost because it yields significant returns,” Oguntuyi concluded.

In his welcome address, Dean of the School, Mr Asimiyu Adigun said for Nigeria to be permanently out of recession, government needs to increase expenditure on skills and services production.

“It must be noted that the contribution of Technical, Vocational Education and Training to the country’s Gross Domestic Products depends on the quality and quantity of the labour force and services it produces. This in turn depends on the quality of delivery of TVET, hence, the need for adequate funding of the programme”, he said.

The Dean thus urged government at all levels to adequately fund and partner with TVET experts and professionals to organise entrepreneurship training and skills acquisition programme for the youths.

Presenting her lead paper on the theme of the conference “Prospects, Issues and Challenges of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Revamping Nigeria Depressed Economy”, Dean School of Vocational Education, Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Dr Temitayo Akinyemi said TVET principal objective
is to train youths and adults, preparing them for ever changing labour market.

“Today, the global economy offers new opportunities and also presents the continent with challenges that it cannot ignore therefore Africa must break this vicious cycle if it is to take its rightful place, given its enormous potentials and multi-dimensional field”, she said.

Akinyemi noted that Nigerian TVET is faced with a lot of challenges such as inadequate and obsolete infrastrcuture and equipment, workshops, libraries and classrooms, staff shortages, brain drain among others.

She said TVET in Nigeria is seen as a tool for combating poverty and unemployment as well as one of the main priorities that will contribute to the socio-economic development of the country.

The lecturer noted that TVET is a crucial platform for acquisition of skills and knowledge for employment and sustainable livelihood adding that it provides the needed employable knowledge, skills and attitude necessary for effective performance in workplace.

She however decried the misunderstanding, poor implementation and abuse that the programme has suffered, stressing that for TVET to achieve its basic aims and objectives, it should be encouraged through a more consistent and higher funding.

Others include international collaboration, availability of energy needed for production, healthy and stable economy as well as provision of required machinery and equipment needed for each trade, training and course.

Esther Taiwo