Ekiti State gets $3m from World Bank to spend on three technical colleges in bid to address skills shortage

EKITI State government has entered into a deal with the World Bank that will it being given $3m to spend on three government technical colleges as part of the global Bank’s Innovation and Development Effectiveness for Acquisition of Skills (Ideas) programme.

Like many Nigerian states, Ekiti is primarily agrarian and to develop its economy, the population need to be equipped with vocational skills. Upon assuming office on October 16, Governor Kayode Fayemi promised to address the matter, saying that his government would seek to bridge the skills gap required to take the state forward.

Yinka Oyebode, Governor Fayemi's chief press secretary, said that following a meeting between the government and the World Bank team yesterday in the state capital Ado-Ekiti, it was agreed that the Ideas programme would focus on technical and vocational education skills and would be private sector-driven. He added that Tunde Adekola, the World Bank's senior education specialist, stated that the programme would provide training and certification for middle-level manpower that would see technical colleges return to their original purpose.

Mr Oyebode said: “The World Bank team members were confident that the programme would be a great success in Ekiti State because of the full accreditation of the state-owned technical colleges. Mr Adekola said the World Bank was happy that the five-year programme aligned with the knowledge-based economy being pushed by the Fayemi-led administration.

Governor Fayemi expressed optimism that the programme would address the deterioration of craftsmanship, stressing that government must make technical and vocational education a desire. In addition, Governor Fayemi faulted the belief in some quarters that technical education was meant for drop-outs, stating that there was a need for psychological reorientation so that people would know that not going to the university does not mean you are a failure.

Furthermore, the governor, who restated his readiness to improve youth empowerment in the state, said his administration would provide necessary support for the immediate take-off of the Ideas programme in the three benefiting technical colleges in the state. Ideas is the World Bank’s State Education Program Investment Project (Sepip) scheme which was started in Ekiti State in November 2013 under Governor Fayemi during his first tenure.

At its onset, the programme had seen to the establishment of various education-related projects, including the ongoing rehabilitation of the Government Technical College, Ado Ekiti. In a related development, Governor Fayemi has also pledged support for the Federal University, Oye Ekiti to overcome the challenges it is facing, adding that the institution has a role to play in the development of the state.