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By Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe
The benefits of technical education have again been re-echoed by the governor of Delta State, His Excellency Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa while addressing participants at a town hall meeting in Oniocha North Local Government Area on Wednesday May 23.
He asserted that there is a great deal of difference between grammar schools and technical colleges because the former offers only theoretical aspects of academics while the later combines theory with skills acquisition in various aspects of vocational training which guarantees specialisation for self-reliance and wealth creation.
The SMART governor told his audience that Agbor, Ofagbe and Sapele Techinical Colleges have resumed academic activities while Issele-Uku, Utagba-Ogbe and Ogor Technical Colleges are currently undergoing massive renovation, rekitting and that standard equipment are currently being installed and ready for commissioning anytime soon in fulfilment of his electioneering campaign in 2015.
“I wish to appeal to parents to send their children to Technical Colleges because of the inestimable advantages for the state and nation building. The conventional Grammar Schools offer theories while impacting knowledge but the technical schools combine both. They teach our children skills that eventually make them instant breadwinners after completion of the mandatory post-primary education.
“For the first time in the history of our state at 25 years, this administration accorded the vital sector of technical and vocational education due to attention as an integral part of the state school system, a strategic tool for the wholesome development of society.
“The speedy and strategic bold steps of the state government in this direction led to the creation of the Delta State Technical and Vocation Board (TVEB) with Michael Akpobire as Executive Secretary. Under the Universal Basic Education (UBEC), 1,173 classrooms have been provided/renovated for use while 12,830 desks have been provided with 3,214 teachers’ furniture procured and distributed to some schools across the three senatorial districts in the state.
“In the ministry of education, we have also renovated and constructed 327 classroom blocks of various sizes; 5,858 teachers’ furniture, 48,330 students’ furniture, new nursery and primary schools have been licensed while six new post-primary schools are active in the course of this administration; and we shall continue to make substantial investments in the education sector to further enhance quality education.”
Gov Okowa listed some of the projects completed and ongoing in Aniocha North to include the following; renovation of main workshop and the automobile workshop at the Issele-Uku Technical College, construction of the Ukwu-Nzu Road (ongoing), rehabilitation of the link road from Issele-Uku to Asaba/Benin expressway (completed and commissioned on Tuesday May 23), construction of the Idumu-Ogo-Obomkpa road (ongoing).
Other projects are; construction of 6 classroom block in Gbonoza Primary School, Onicha-Ugbo (ongoing), renovation of 3 classroom block in Adams Primary School, Issele-Uku by SUBEB (completed), prototype steel stanchion structural workshop building at the Issele-Uku Technical College (completed), provision of 3 classroom block in Azagba Primary School, Issele-Azagba (completed), provision of chairs and tables for students and teachers at Obomkpa Mixed Secondary School, Obomkpa (completed), construction of staff quarters for the Primary Health Care Centre at Issele-Uku, through SDG (ongoing), construction of 6 classroom block at Adams Primary School, Issele-Uku (ongoing) and construction of Onicha-Ugbo-Ubulu-Uku road by Onicha-Ugbo knowledge centre (ongoing).
The governor said his administration remains totally committed to the overall development of the state which is why infrastructure development and other projects are deliberately spread across North, South and Central senatorial districts in the state.
He used the occasion to invite the good people of Oniocha North and South to the Prayer Day and Anniversary Thanksgiving, to appreciate God for his remarkable second anniversary celebration in the saddle as the fourth democratically elected governor since the creation of Delta State.
The prayer day is scheduled to hold on Democracy Day, May 29 at the Event Centre, Asaba the State capital.
