OPINION: Governor MUJ :The Skill Aquisition Programme Must Not Die. ..

By Samuel J Leneke

The  difference between  developed and developing nations  is manifested in rating the degree of use of technical education  in development  strategies. While  the developing nations are holding to traditional  methods,the developed  are using developed  modern tecniques to bring  improvement  to living.

Technical  and Career education  systems are strategies that provide ingredients  for  Development. Vocational  Education is a course  of study  which prepares the individuals for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities. Vocational  education  is a job  specific, it helps a person secure employment in his  chosen  field and promotes entrepreneurship. Technical  and  vocational  education  therefore benefits  the  beneficiaries  directly by providing earning advantages  to  the  general  good of the  people  and the  Country  at large

The Murtala Nyako administration  came on board with  a laudable Skill Aquisition programme to solve unemployment among youths and to give a sound footing for industrial take off for Adamawa State.  Towards this end, different  categories  of  skills  Aquisition and Technical  institutions were established  across  the State to uplift capacity for entrepreneurship in Adamawa State. Laudable as the programme  is and been  handled professionally by German experts, it was not backed by Law. 

When the programme was taking off I followed it with the required interest, and made friends with  some of the  German engineers handling the programme. I was impressed  with  the  strategy and hoped it will make great impact on the pathern of development  and growth  of  the  State. But strategy for the foundation  was not solid because no organisation  within the government  was authorise to monitor, supervise and  call the shots.

The machinery and other accessories  imported from Germany are internationally recognised and best to equip even higher  technologically tertiary institutions. The German experts went with the  Nyako impeachment and nobody seems to care about  what is happening  to the investment  done in this sector  with  public fund. Which government  department  is even responsible  for  technical  institutions?

The relevance of this programme  to our youths and the entire developmental  strategies  of the  State  requires Governor Mohammed  Umaru  Jibrilla to set up a powerful Committee  to review  the  programme and  put it in the  rightful perspective to move Adamawa  to the next stage.The review  committee will put the requirements  in place to ensure its success.