Uchechukwu Nnaike
The principal of the Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC) Yaba Lagos, Mr David Omada, has emphasised the need for collaboration between academics and industry to equip students with the requisite skills for self-reliance and industrialisation.
Speaking at the valedictory service for about 800 outgoing students of the class of 2022, Omada stated that skills acquisition is key to industrialisation.
“The more skills the students can acquire, the more they can contribute positively to the industrialisation of the country,” said Omada. “Small-scale businesses are key drivers of industrialisation, and when these graduates get employed or start their own businesses, that will drive the economy and industrialisation.”
He highlighted a number of ongoing projects by corporate organisations at the college, which he said are gradually taking the college to its desired height.
According to him, one of the companies is Axxela Nigeria LTD., which is renovating the Fabrication and Welding Department.
“We are expecting another company, courtesy of the SBMC Chairman, Hon Ladi Lawanson, to come and renovate our Automobile Workshop,” he added.
Omada said the school is also expecting a World Bank IDEAS project to renovate and equip the construction workshops, comprising building construction, carpentry furniture, concreting, fabrication and welding, painting and decoration.
He stated that the collaborations would positively impact skills acquisition in the college.
The principal said his administration began the construction of a 12-room science laboratory, which would be completed before a new academic session in September.
According to him, nine classrooms are under construction, which will also be completed soon, and the renovation of the assembly hall, among other projects.
While commending the staff for their efforts, he said the school had recorded excellent results in WAEC, BECE and JAMB, adding that some students scored over 300 in the last UTME.
Omada urged the outgoing students to be good ambassadors of the college and strive to hold their own anywhere they find themselves.
In his remarks, Lawanson regretted that vocational and technical education was an aspect of the country’s economy yet to be unleashed.
“I think we have this unidirectional mindset that everybody must be a white-collared job professional, which is not true. It is not realistic to our national objective,” he pointed out.
Lawanson added that propelled his desire to help bring as much awareness and support to that key sector, which will help unlock the potential of Nigerian youths.
“The first is the renovation of the Welding and Fabrication Workshop, which we have reached out to an oil and gas company, Axxela Nig. Ltd, not only in terms of renovation of the workshop to the tune of N23 million,” he explained. “It is also to be able to make linkages between what we are teaching them here and the industry out there. So part of the attraction is that once they have been trained properly, we will now make the linkage for them to be employed there as required.”
