ln a concerted thrust to boost vocational, technical and technological education in Nigeria, the House Commitee on Federal Polytechnics and Tertiary Technical Education chaired by Hon Fuad Kayode Laguda instituted a public hearing on the 15th of July 2024 to consider three pivotal bills with the avowed objective of providing gainful employment for the teeming youths, driving economic growth and improving the nation’s standard of living.
Hon Fuad Laguda signposted these laudable goals at the public hearing on the three bills namely: A Bill for an Act to Amend the Federal Polytechnics Act.Cap.F17. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010 to establish Federal College of Science and Health Technology, Mbu Isiuzo, Enugu State in order to provide qualitative education in sciences, health, arts and other technical knowledge; and for related matters (HB.589) sponsored by Hon. Paul Sunday Nnamchi;
2) A Bill for an Act to amend the Federal Polytechnics Acts.Cap.F17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010 to establish Federal Institute of Technology and Entrepreneurship, Bungudu, Zamfara state to provide qualitative education and for related matters (HB.497), Sponsored By Hon. Abdulmalik Zubairu; and
3) A Bill for an Act to amend the Federal Polytechnics Act 2010, to Establish Federal Institute of technical and vocational education, Imeko, Ogun State for the purpose of providing qualitative education in technical vocational education and for related matters (HB.506), Sponsored Hon. Adegboyega Nasir Isiaka.
The Commitee helmsman representing Surulere I Federal Constituency of Lagos stated that the three bills if passed into law will go a long way towards spurring
science, technology, vocational and technical education as the key drivers of the nation’s socio-economic development: ‘We need to prioritise and recognize the importance of science and health technology in driving economic growth, improving healthy living standards as well as addressing societal challenges.
In today’s global economy, you would agree with me that skills in vocational and technical education are the panacea to Nigeria’s technological development.
The effective training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics are the skills needed by our teaming youths to excel in the technologically driven global economy. There is, therefore, the need for purposeful deliberation and positive inputs by key stakeholders in the educational sector.
This is why the committee has invited you here today, to obtain informed opinions and inputs on the Bills, to further enrich the content and intendment of the proposed laws – Hon Fuad Laguda emphasised.
Many stakeholders, participants and observers at the event including heads and top management of polytechnics, civil society groups and professional associations lauded the objectives of the public hearing as enunciated by the Commitee Chair given that the paucity of vocational and technical skills amongst the teeming youth population directly translated into the high unemployment rate across the nation which has also led to an exponential increase in banditry, terrorism, kidnappings, armed robbery, internet fraud and other criminal vices.
Thus equipping the youths with cognate vocational and technical skills will enable them to be meaningfully employed, boost their income generating indices, provide revenue for the government and propel economic growth, stability and security for the nation.
Indeed Hon Fuad Laguda is in familiar turf as he has been in the forefront of initiating skills acquisition programs and vocational training schemes for numerous youths and women of his federal constituency in order to drastically reduce the unemployment rate there. While urging all stakeholders present to work together for the successful passage of the three bills, Hon Laguda also expressed gratitude to the House Speaker, Rt Hon Tajudeen Abbas for his consistent and unalloyed support to the Commitee which has gone a long way in moving it’s activities to the next level in the crucial scheme of things.
The House Speaker represented by Hon Abdullahi Halims, Deputy House Leader restated the desire of the House to improve the quality and standard of education across the nation as a means towards reducing the youth unemployment rate and driving socio-economic development, growth and progress nationwide.
The Hon Speaker also decried the high rate of unemployment among the youths as a result of lack of vocational training and occupational skills while expressing the belief that the Commitee as well as other relevant committees will work in tandem to tackle youth unemployment and give greater succour to the people.
As Monitored by Governance Today Nigeria news.
