The Regional Vice President of the International Vocational Education and Training Association (IVETA) East and West Africa, Mr. Igberadja Serumu commends the Delta State Government on the recent appointment of 513 teachers and none academic staff through the Delta State Ministry of Technical Education ably led by the Honourable Commissioner for Technical Education, Hon. Mrs. Shola Daibo and the Executive Secretary of the Delta State Technical Vocational Education Board Engr. Smart Ikem.
Hon. Commissioner of Technical Education Giving Appointment Letter to Newly Recruited Teacher for Delta State Technical Colleges
Mr.Igberadja Serumu noted that the recruitment exercise which started since last year, was transparent right from the conduct of the computer base test to the physical interview, credentials verification, and issuance of appointment letters conducted by consultants, TVET experts, and representatives of the Ministry of Technical Education.
On the other hand the IVETA Vice President for East and West Africa who happens to be one of the newly recruited technical teacher advised the State Government and the Ministry of Technical Education to work with industries and communities in other to identify the vocational skills need which the curriculum and programmes of the technical colleges will address so as to help provide job linkages for graduates of the technical colleges. He assured the Delta State Ministry of Technical Education of IVETA’s cooperation to link the technical colleges to other international TVET institutions and TVET equipment manufacturers for global partnerships with aim of advancing TVET in technical colleges in Delta State.
Newly Recruited Teacher Waiting to be Verified and to Collect their Appointment Letters
Finally, Igberadja Serumu expressed his appreciation to His Excellency Sen. (Dr.) Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa the Executive Governor of Delta State/2023 PDP Vice Presidential Candidate for his interest in Education, especially in TVET which was neglected in the time past by previous administration.
Joseph Amankrah
It is commendable what the state is doing, but the stigma still associated to TVET in Africa still prevails.
I’m a Nigerian born Ghanaian, and I’m a mechanical engineer and I have been in the manufacturing and maintenance sector in the UK and North America for over 45 years. I have spent 24 years of that time in the teaching of TEVT associated to the manufacturing sector of The industrial economy. I have extensive experience international inTVET having worked under UNIDO and also privately to assess and promote Industrial skills TVET for Africa. But the lack of understanding the import of what the manufacturing TVET is, as not been transparent or explained to those who have the power for change. The rush for getting funding and the increasing involvement of Academia as experts in this sector is troubling. The teaching and transferring of knowledge to those who need it has been totalling ignored.
The lack of input and involvement of practitioners of these TVET or skilled trades in the informal sectors is a travesty, these are people who use what little theory they know to make the process successful. Should not these practically highly skilled professionals be part and parcel of the drive for industrialization for Nigeria and the Africa.
Here in Canada there is a shortage of 400,000 skilled trades or TVET professionals in the manufacturing sector. Imagine what you are facing in Nigeria to bring skills to the 21 century what you don’t even have the skills to teach.
There is a way this can be conducted, what is happening around the world happened over 60 years ago in the UK. And they devised a system that worked. And now they forgot the system now they have to find historically relevant information to try and reverse what is happening
Having an influx of TVET teachers without a focused industrial economic plan is ludicrous, you will a group of TVET trained individuals with no access to employment due to the irrelevance of their training. I have seen this all over developing countries, that I have visited.
Governments in really look at TVET as way to stop criticism of the way the youth and education is being handled while they are in office.
Very sad for the youth and the whole continent, we lack the skills to convert our natural resources for wealth creation, but we put this task of the key that will change this status quo to Academics and politicians who do not respect what TVET if managed properly can change the continent.
I look forward to further discussions on this.
Joseph Amankrah
Executive director
Camara skills training network (Canada)
http://www.camaraskills.org
josepha@camaraskills.org
Jamankra@gmail.com