NBTE Accredits more courses in Anambra State Technical Colleges

NBTE Accredits more courses in Anambra State Technical Colleges: This is the transformational leadership and much talked about restructuring that we need!

18 more courses have been accredited in a swoop in six more technical Colleges of Anambra State.

The Colleges are:
GTC Umueri
GTC Umuchu
GTC Umunze
GTC Onitsha
SJSTC Alor, and
NSTC Nnewi

The courses accredited in the Colleges are Business Studies, Motor Vehicle Mechanic Work, Fabrication and Welding, Furniture Design and Construction, Catering Craft Practice, Computer Craft, Radio Television and Electronic Work, Mechanical Engineering Craft Practice, Vehicle Body Building, Block laying, Brick laying and Concreting, Electrical Installation and Maintenance Practice, Painting and Decorating.

The implications of the accreditation exercise are that the Colleges and their courses are equipped and staffed to national and international standards in a way that the graduates of the Colleges become suitable for national and international workforce as well as continuing their education in the polytechnics and universities if they so wish.

It will be recalled that the NBTE Accreditation team arrived Anambra State on 7/1/2018 and left on 13/1/2018. Before then the Hon Commissioner for Education, Prof Kate Azuka Omenugha, in line with the education friendly disposition of His Excellency, Chief Willie Obiano, led a team of administrators of the Education family of the state on pre accreditation monitoring and supervision of the Colleges. The exercise resulted to the success achieved during the actual visit by the NBTE.

The Obiano administration has since coming into office in 2014 continued to uplift and reposition the 12 functional technical Colleges scattered in almost 21 local governments in the state for optimal performance to provide ready self employment for teaming youths in Anambra State. This is in line with the National Policy on Education.

To kick start this laudable initiative the government in 2015 sponsored the Principals, teachers and educational administrators to a Study Tour of Singapore, South East Asia, that transited through her education from third to first world within a space of 35 years! The aftermath of the tour was the first accreditation visit by NBTE, in 2015, since 2007, to Nigeria Science and Technical College, NSTC, Nnewi, where two courses were accredited. That was followed in 2016 with accreditation of 9 courses at GTCs Umuchu, Umueri and Nkpor.

Occasionally courses were and are organized for teachers and industrial partners aimed at bridging the gap among the Colleges and the cognate industries.

The workshops have now resulted to Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme periodically carried out for students in the local industries and other designated industries including the Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, IVM, Nnewi. As this is going on, the teachers are not left out. For Education to achieve its purpose highly knowledgeable, skilled and motivated teachers are required.

In this thinking the Anambra State Government has innovated the Teachers Industrial Work Experience Scheme, TIWES, as a way of ensuring that teachers' knowledge, attitude and skills are updated and in synchronism with the prevailing realities in the industries where their graduates will eventually work. Currently 50 of such teachers are undergoing TIWES in Information Communication Technology and Mechanical Engineering Practice at Dons John Bosco Technical Institute, Obosi, Anambra State.

Therefore the Anambra State Government ensures that tools, equipment and staff are not only provided in the Colleges for NBTE Accreditation. Further steps are taken to ensure that the tools, equipment and staff are put to productive use. This is to ensure that our technical Colleges turn into Industrial centers in a matter of few years.

 This will not only improve enrollment. It will take unemployed and unemployable school leavers off the street. Bourgeoning anger, agitations, fury and fire currently going on will be curtailed. The Anambra Economic Empire will become a reality. And what is more it will be life in abundance for all!

Anambra deserves kudos!

Silent revolution is afoot in our Education system in Anambra State. Join the train by sending our children to our technical Colleges.

Our Industrial partners and public spirited Ndi Anambra are invited to assist the government to provide and improve facilities like Wall Fencing, teachers quarters, students hostels, in our Colleges.

This is sure way to transformational leadership and much talked about restructuring in Nigeria!

Mr Patrick P Okeke Emezue
Director (RTD) Tech Vocational Education and Training, Anambra State.