FCTA calls for re-positioning of education sector
The permanent secretary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Christian Chinyeaka Ohaa, has charged stakeholders in the education sector to evolve strategies that would engender the culture of skill acquisition among youths.
Mr. Ohaa, who gave the charge during the advocacy and sensitization forum on Innovation Enterprise Institutions (IELs) yesterday in Abuja, also challenged FCT Education Secretariat and other stakeholders in the territory to do more in the area of students’ counseling to give them the opportunity to choose careers in line with the current labour market.
“I therefore challenge this forum to focus on evolving strategies that would translate into positive change in our current tertiary education services delivery system that is characterised by producing graduates for white collar jobs only.
“The forum should also focus on how to engender in our youths, the culture of creativity and skill acquisition.
“The education secretariat and other relevant stakeholders should strive to improve on counseling services in order for students to make better and more rational choices of careers that would fit into the competitive labour market.
“In this regard, I urge you to vigorously drive policies aimed at equipping youths with relevant skills that will drive diversification of the economy.”
The permsec expressed hope that the exercise would achieve its intended purpose of sensitizing senior secondary school students across the six area councils of the FCT on the benefits of innovative enterprise institutions, the imperative of skill acquisition for wealth and job creation, among others.
Ohaa, who praised the Ministry of Education for introducing the Innovative Enterprise Institutions (IELs), called on heads of sister agencies to support the scheme.
In his welcome address, the Acting Director of FCT Department of Higher Education, Mr. J. J. Garba, implored stakeholders in the education sector to sensitize the youths on the importance of IELs.