BY DAYO ADESULU

In ensuring that no stone is left unturned to give the people of Rivers State qualitative education, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, being satisfied with the standard of education bequeathed to the pupils in primary school and students in secondary school, has shifted focus on technical education with the signing of the Vocation Training Agreement with a German company, Zentralstelle fur die Weiterbildung im Handwerk (ZWH).

The drafted agreement between Rivers State Government and ZWH, Germany, which was signed on Friday at the Rivers State Ministry of Justice,  witnessed the presence of Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice,  Rivers State, Justice Wogu Boms, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Rivers State, Dr Richard Ofuru, President, ZWH, Mr Dirk Palige, Managing Director, ZWH, Mr Hermann Roder and Deputy Managing Director, ZWH, Mr. Holger Puchalla and others.

Copy of the agreement made available to the media stated that the innovation by the Rivers State Government is part of its economic reform agenda to empowerment creation by collaborating with the private sector to improve the vocational skills and competence of its indigenes with a view to empowering them vocationally to be self-employed and employable.

It noted that areas of concentration of the German company will include: fashion design, hairdressing and cosmetics, construction, metal work, woodwork and as a possible add-on in the medium-term: car and heavy duty vehicle mechanic knowledge.

The agreement stated further that the training curriculum shall be patterned in accordance with the German standards with provisions to accommodate local conditions and taking into account local circumstances. A part of the objectives of the programme it added, is to provide trainees with management and entrepreneurial skills both on short and long-term bases, noting that the vocational programme shall involve local trainers and training managers with a view to taking over the school management and training programmes after six years of the programme’s duration.

On each party’s obligations, it was disclosed that ZWH shall be responsible for the day-to-day running or implementation of the programme while Rivers State Government shall be responsible for general supervision of the programme.

Moreover, the responsibility of ZWH will include contracting partner for RSG with respect to foreign personnel and foreign training machines, as all non- foreign contracting shall be undertaken by the RSG provided that the quality and specification shall be approved by ZWH to ensure compliance with overall quality and standard.

In her remarks, the Commissioner for Education, who represented the Governor said the vocation training agreement is an exchange programme with the German firm that if technical graduates get things right here, they can go over to Germany.

Explaining the choice of Germany in the partnership, she said: “When you talk about technology, we can rate them as number one in the world. The choice of Germany came when the Governor travelled to Germany and went to their factory and saw what they were doing technologically.”

The Commissioner who lamented the low interest of youths in technical education stated; “In Nigeria, many youths are not looking into that direction. Technical education is very important to any country which wants to fly high in the comity of nations. I think Rivers State is doing it at the right time. Before a student would be admitted into the technical school, he must have possessed the WAEC which is the minimum qualification.

Speaking at the signing of the agreement, the President of ZWH, Mr Dirk Palige said that his primary target in Nigeria is to establish a vocational study centre in Nigeria that will yield the desired result like it is in Germany. Palige who lauded the innovation of the Rivers State Government towards enriching its people with the relevant knowledge that will lead to economic growth said; “The development of a nation depends on its qualified employees.” He promised that the success story we have been hearing about Germany is already here with us in Nigeria to repeat itself. “We are ready to start with you immediately,” he said.

In his closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Rivers State, Mr Richard Ofuru,  who showered encomiums on the governor said Amaechi has thought ahead for the poor masses in establishing such laudable project. He said vocational training is what the world is depending on now. Singapore, Malaysia and others are depending on vocational training. We are believing that Rivers State is setting a pace for others as other states are just talking on paper. He said by January, a lot of activities would have started in Rivers State.