The Anambra State Government in his strives for increased revenue in the state has put machinery in motion to re-position the 11 technical colleges in the state for productive ventures.

Speaking at a five day workshop for principals, heads of departments and senior teachers in technical and vocational schools at Amawbia in Awka South Local Government Area, a Consultant to the state government on technical and vocational education, Mr. Endi Ezengwa, said that time had come for secondary schools, especially the technical colleges, to establish production units within the colleges to produce goods that could generate income to enable the schools sustain themselves.

It would be recalled that as part of the programme, the state government had recently sponsored 22 students from the technical colleges and some officials to Singapore for practical experience and human capacity building.

Government has also promised to equip all the technical colleges in the state, beginning with the Federal Technical College, Onitsha for the project.

Ezengwa, observed that in countries where production units are effective, secondary schools shun out skilled workers that contribute towards the growth of the economy, adding that the ongoing programme in Anambra State would soon begin to yield the desired results.

He harped on the importance of knowing what the industries want and training the students in such areas of need.

“There is therefore the need to establish college production centers in our secondary schools because if the production centers are effective, such schools would not be waiting for government for subvention all the time.

“We are already exposing the students to manufacturing companies. For instance, last year, we took about 200 students to Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, Nnewi where the students were exposed to vehicle body building, motor maintenance, fabrication and welding.

“This year, we are exposing them to construction, electrical installation and maintenance, plumbing and pipe fitting, carpentry and joinery, as well as furniture and machine woodworks, while the next in line is the hospitality industry,” he said.

According to Ezengwa, who is the proprietor of Kiara College, a Nigerian-based consulting firm with international experience on technical and vocational education, the youths can be groomed and harvested adding that one of the best ways to achieve it is through vocation and technical education, since it is a wasteful venture for the country to continue to produce graduates that were unemployable.

He commended Governor Willie Obiano for supporting the project saying that he is keen on facilitating the production of quality indigenous technicians to meet the human resource needs for the four pillars of his administration.

He urged other South East states to key into the project by striving to get resources for the purpose of enhancing the Igbo man’s entrepreneurship spirit.

•Photo shows Gov Obiano.

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